I 




Oass_Hl5_3L3LS-'3 

Bonk 'GLiiutfs? 



ROUTING FOR GIRLS 

ADAPTED FROM GIRL GUIDING 



BY 



SIR ROBERT BADEN-POWELL 

K.C.B., K.C.V.O., LL.D, 

Author of "Scouting for Boys," etc 



NEW YORK 
1918 



SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

ADAPTED FROM GIRL GUIDING 

J 3 

BY 

SIR ROBERT BADEN-POWELL 

K.C.B., K.C.V.O., LL.D. 

Author of "Scouting for Boys," etc. 



NEW YORK 
1918 






?i 






<> 



3>\ 



(P 



Copyright, 1918, by 
JULIETTE LOW 



OCT 10 181:. 



•W0 ^ 



EXPLANATION 

Girl Scouting has a double meaning. To some it means 
the fun of playing the games of the Girl Scouts; to 
others, the fun of " playing the game " in Scouting Girls. 
Our desire in producing this Scout scheme is to offer; 
help to parents, teachers, and patriots who may care to 
avail themselves of it when it comes to the duty of train- 
ing girls. 

The object of the Scout training is to give our girls, 
whatever may be their circumstances, a series of healthy 
and jolly activities which, while delighting them, will af- 
ford them a course of education outside the school in 
four particular lines of which there is the greatest need: 

i. CHARACTER AND INTELLIGENCE, through 
games, practices and activities, and honours and 
tests for promotion. 

2. SKILL AND HANDCRAFT, encouraged through 

badges for proficiency. 

3. SERVICE FOR OTHERS and FELLOWSHIP, 

through daily good turns, organised public serv- 
ice, etc. 

4. PHYSICAL HEALTH and HYGIENE, through 

development up to standard by games and exer- 
cises designed for the purpose. 
iii 



iv EXPLANATION 

/ have ventured to describe the above as a course of 
education instead of a course of instruction since the 
girls are led to learn of their own desire — which is edu- 
cation — instead of having the knozdedge impressed upon 
them from outside — which is instruction. 

The Scouts are divided into four grades, to each of 
which a corresponding Part of this book applies: — 

PART I. Brownies, under n. 

PART II. Scouts, ii to 1 6. 

PART III. Senior Scouts, over 16. 

PART IV. Scouts, 1 8 to 81. 

The latter are what would otherwise be termed officers, 
but their position is rather that of elder sisters reviving 
their youth by playing among and leading the girls than 
of officers ordering them about, or repressing them. 

In each grade the training runs on the same four lines 
as that shoum on the preceding paragraph, but on rela- 
tively higher standards at each stage, according to the 
psychology of the girl concerned in it. 

Experience has shown that the scheme is easily appli- 
cable, even by untrained leaders, to all kinds of girls, 
whether in town or country, at home or overseas; and 
that it is capable of bringing about most satisfactory 
results. 

This book merely offers an outline of principles, to- 
gether with a few samples of details as an indication to 
guiders of the lines on which they can carry out the train- 
ing. Further details are largely left to their own in- 



EXPLANATION v 

genuity to devise, according to the condition and char- 
acter of their girls and of their surroundings. 

In any case the programme of the training should be 
kept as unlike a school syllabus as possible in order to 
give it novelty and freshness. 

The book is worded in such a way that it can be studied 
by the girls themselves in the different grades. The 
paragraphs in italics are more particularly addressed to 
the Scouters. In conjunction with this book the Book of 
Rules of the Association should be read, and where there 
may be any difference in detail between the two the Book 
of Rides should be taken as the guide, being more fre- 
quently under revision and, therefore, up to date; and 
also the monthly Girl Scouts' Gazette. 

For further suggestions on the work of Scouters and 
their aims and methods see Part IV. Perhaps the most 
important suggestion that I can offer here to Scouters 
may be summed up in the motto: — 

u Laugh while you work." 



RA^^CiaaeJf^ 



UK 



January, ipi8. 



PART I 

THE BROWNIES 



CHAPTER I 
BROWNIES 

A Brownie is a household fairy who lives under and 
in the trees. This is the reason that the Brownies badge 
is an acorn. 

There are many kinds of 
Brownies, such as Sprites, Elves, 
Gnomes, Fairies, Goblins, Pixies, 
Imps, Nymphs, Will-o'-the-wisps. 

Have you ever seen a fairy 
ring? There are many in the 
woods and sometimes in the gar- 
den — just a wide circle in the 
ground of rather darker grass 
than the rest of the turf round 
about it. It is said to be a track 
made by the Brownies who come 
together and dance on the grass 
by moonlight, round a toadstool in the middle. 

So our Brownies have a toadstool as their Totem and 
they make their ring around it. Like true fairies they 




The Brownies' Totem. 



2 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

can make their ring anywhere, not only in the woods or 
out on the grass, but even in the town and in a room. 

When they come together they plant the toadstool in 
the center and the Brownie captain (that is, the leader of 
the Pack) takes her place by the toadstool. The Brown- 
ies then form a ring around her, the Elves together (there 
must not be more than eight of them), the Goblins to- 
gether, the Fairies together, and so on. 



o 



For the Pow-wow (or Talking Ring) they stand close 
together, so that their elbows are touching. It is called 









o-o- ^ 










o' 


°n 










/ 




o 








o % x 


* . 


\ 








/ + 


+ 


o 


Toadstool. 







O -V 


+ 


\ 


The 






° 1 o 


X 


o 

1 


Pow-wow. 


* 




1 * w 


X 


o 


Dancing 
Ring. 


o- 





o 

o 

The Fairy Ring. 


O 


o 

/ 





THE EIGHT 3 

the Pow-wow Ring, or Talking Ring, because they can 
hear the voice and the wise words of the Captain. 

For the Dancing Ring they all join hands, and make 
the circle as wide as they can reach. 

The Promise 

Any girl can become a Brownie who is under ten, and 
who does her best to carry out the Promise of the 
Brownies. 

This is the Promise : 

i. To be obedient. 

2. To help other people, especially those at home. 

The Recruit Brownie 

When a girl first joins the Brownies she is only a 
recruit like a boy who joins the army, and before she can 
count as a real Brownie she must know and understand 
the Promise, and what is more she must have carried it 
out by doing a good turn in her own home. 

The Pack 

The Goblins go together, the Fairies go together and 
so on, each forming a Pack. Some Packs are numbered 
like Girl Scout troops instead of being named Fairy, 
Pixie, Elf, etc. 

The Eight 

The Captain or Leader of a pack is a grown-up person, 
and in each pack there are several parties of eight under 



4 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

a Leader who is selected if possible from a Girl Scout 
Patrol, and who is called a Brownie Lieutenant. 

Badge 

Each Brownie Pack selects the leaf of any tree for its 
crest. This may be a real leaf or any artificial one. 





LIST OF TREES 




Oak 

Sycamore 

Elm 

Maple 

Pine 


Ash 

Chestnut 

Beech 

Willow 

Cedar 

Motto 

Be Prepared. 


Spruce 

Poplar 

Aspen 

Dogwood 

Laurel 



The Yell or Cry : LAH, LAH, LAH. It sounds non- 
sense but it is not, because it means Lend a Hand, and 
LAH are the initials. 



L 
e 
n 
d 



H 
a 
n 
d 



WAR CRY. 



^§ 



=& 



bJJ Jl JJ. 



^ 



:gt=± 



igafc 



-j=t. 



We're the Brownies. Here's our aim: 



Lend a hand and Flay the Game. 



TESTS 



Uniform 



Middy Blouse 

Bloomers 

Hat 

Shoes and stockings 

Hair ribbon 

Badges 

Crest 



in khaki, 
ditto. 

same as Girl Scout, 
brown, 
brown, 
worn on arm. 
leaf of a tree worn on 
breast. 



Tests 
The Recruit 

A Brownie must know : 
The Brownie's Promise. 
The Salute. 
The Good Turn. 
The Motto. 



and must be able to: 



To be Obedient 



Tie her hair ribbon. 
Wash dishes properly. 
Know how to sit tall. 



In the Brownie Pack every Brownie obeys the wishes 
of the leader. So it is in our nation. The Americans 
are a very big pack, but they have their one chief, the 
President. To be successful as an army in a battle or as 
the team in a football match all should obey their cap- 
tain. If everybody started to play the game in his own 
way, there would be confusion, and there could be no 



6 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

results. But if we " play the game " according to orders 
our country will always be successful. 

And in the same way, as a Brownie you must obey 
the Lieutenant of your Eight. 

The Good Turn 

But now about the second promise, namely, to do a 
good turn to somebody every day. 

The Brownies and the Girl Scouts have a patent dodge 
of making themselves happy. How do you suppose they 
do it? 

By running about and playing at scouting games ? By 
going out into camp ? By lighting fires and cooking their 
own grub? By tracking down animals, and getting to 
know all about their ways? 

Yes, they do all these things, and make themselves 
happy ; but they have a still better way than that. It 
is very simple. They do it by making other people 
happy. 

That is to say, every day they do a kindness to some 
one. It does not matter who the person is (so long as 
it is not themselves), friend or stranger, man or woman, 
or child. 

And the kindness, or M good turn/' need not be a big 
thing. You can generally get a chance of doing a little 
kindness in your own home, such as helping your mother 
or a servant to do some little job about the house ; or 
you can, if away from home, help an old lady to carry 
her parcel, or take a little child safely across the street, 
or do something of that sort. 



INVESTITURE OF A BROWNIE 7 

But whatever you do, you must not take any reward 
for doing it. If you take money for it, it is not a good 
turn, but just a piece of work that has been paid for. 

The Brownies' Smile 

Brownies always smile, and if they are in difficulty, 
in pain, in trouble, or in danger, they don't cry, they just 
grin and bear it. 

The Salute 

When a Brownie shakes hands with another Brownie, 
or w r ith a Girl Scout or Boy Scout, she does so with the 
left hand. That is the secret sign of 
brotherhood between them all. 

Then also as a Brownie you must under- 
stand and be able to make the salute, which 
is done by holding up your hand with tw r o 
fingers like this : 

The Salute is another sign that you are 
a Brownie, even though you may not be 
dressed in uniform, and that you recognize 
the person you are saluting also as a 
Brownie. 

Investiture of a Brownie 

When a girl has passed her test as a 

recruit she is admitted into her Eight as a - T - x 

. & rlow to salute. 

Brownie, and she can then go on and pass 
her tests for a Second Class Brownie. 

The pack is formed up in the dancing ring, and the 




8 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

recruits stand in the Pow-wow circle, with the Brownie 
Captain in the center. 

The Brownie Captain says to the Recruit : " You 
have learnt what the Brownies are, and how they owe 
their duty to be obedient, to help other people, especially 
their own family, every day. What have you done to 
help in your home ? " 

When the recruit has answered, the Brownie Captain 
again asks: " What is your motto as a Brownie? " 

u Be prepared." 

11 Do you know that if you now make the Promise you 
must always stick to it afterwards and do your best to 
carry it out? So do you still wish to make it? " If the 
recruit is willing the Brownie Captain then says : " Come 
to the Totem Pole and repeat your promise as a 
Brownie. " 

The recruit, touching the Totem Pole with her left 
hand, and with her right at the salute, then repeats the 
Brownie Promise. The Brownie Captain then pins on her 
left breast the badge of her Eight, and says : " You are 
now a Brownie, and wear the badge of the Eight. Will 
you promise to try ? " 

The Brownie Captain then shakes hands, left handed 
with the Brownie. The Brownie salutes with her right 
hand, faces about and salutes the Pack, and then runs to 
join her Eight. Her Eight all shakes hands with her, 
left-handed, to welcome her into the Eight. 



SECOND CLASS BROWNIE 9 

Second Class Brownie 

To become a Second Class Brownie you must: 

I. Intelligence. Describe the flag of the United States. 

Tie the following knots : Reef, Sheet, 

Bend, Clove hitch and Fisherman's. 



II. Handcraft. 



Hem a duster or darn a stocking. 

Do up a parcel. 

Set a table for two for dinner. 



III. Service. 



Bind up a cut finger or grazed knee. 



IV. Health. Perform two physical exercises (which 

should be selected by the Captain). 

Know how and why you should keep 
your nails cut and clean; why you 
should keep your teeth clean and 
why breathe through the nose. 

Bowl a hoop or hop around a figure 8 
course. 

Throw a ball ten yards with right 
hand and then with left hand. 

Throw a ball so that a girl 6 yards 
away catches it 4 times out of six. 



io SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Tying up a Parcel 

The first duty of a parcel is to be neatly and strongly 
tied up so that it does not come unfastened, but, poor 
thing, it cannot do this for itself, so you have to do it a 
good turn by tying it up. Wrap it neatly in strong paper. 

Just as you tuck in the corners of the blankets on your 
bed to keep you warm and snug, so the corners of the 
paper should be tidily folded at the ends of a parcel and 
doubled over flat. 

The string should be drawn quite tight, and have only 
small knots which won't slip. It is therefore most im- 
portant that you should learn, as Scouts do, how to tie 
knots properly. 

When a parcel is going by post it gets thrown around 
a good deal and has to stand a lot of banging about, so 
bear that in mind when you are tying it up. 

It is always wisest to write the name and address of 
the person to whom you are sending the parcel on the 
parcel itself. Very often people write this only on labels 
which they tie on, and then if this label gets torn off at 
all, away goes the parcel to the dead letter office or gets 
quite lost. 

Hemming a Handkerchief 

Double the edges twice, so that the rough edge of the 
square of linen or muslin are well inside the turning. 
Then baste all around so as to hold the turned edges in 
place, and so that they are the same width all round. 

Then hem it with neat, small stitches. 



BINDING UP A FINGER OR KNEE n 

Darning Stockings 

You can do many a good turn by darning. 

Mind you get wool or thread the same color, and if 
possible of the same thickness as the threads of the stock- 
ings you are going to darn. 

You should put in your needle about an inch from the 
actual hole, and push it up and down in straight lines, 
taking a thread and missing a thread. 

Then repeat this again criss-cross, leaving loops of the 
wool where you turn, so that the new wool can shrink 
without tearing the stocking when washed. 

Setting a Table 

Spread the table-cloth smoothly and evenly. 

Put the knives, spoons, forks, and other things also 
exactly in place, but before putting them there see that 
there is not a speck of dirt on them, no finger marks or 
dust. 

Although there is a regular way of setting a table, and 
all tables look much alike when set, there is a great dif- 
ference between one by a Scout and set by any other 
girl. The Scout thinks for herself what things will be 
needed for the meal, how many courses there will be, and 
therefore how many knives, forks, and spoons, whether 
pepper will be wanted or sugar, and puts them on the 
table accordingly. She uses her wits as well as her hands. 

Binding up a Finger or Knee 

A cut on the hand. If anybody cuts his hand, and it is 
your job to render first aid, the first thing to think about 



12 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

is how to stop the bleeding. Remember, that just as im- 
portant as stopping the bleeding is the keeping of any 
sort of dirt from getting near the wound. Now dirt 
here does not mean what you generally call dirt — mud 
and dust: it means anything containing germs. Germs 
are tiny little insects, so small that your eye can't see 
them ; if they get into a cut they may poison it so that it 
festers and becomes really dangerous, ending, possibly, in 
the loss of a finger or hand. The worst kind of germs 
are those that come out of earth — such as garden mold, 
or mud from the road. They cause a terrible disease 
known as lock-jaw, so great care should be taken if any 
one gets a deep cut while gardening, for instance. But 
any dust, or any soiled object may, and does, contain 
germs. So if you are about to bandage a cut, find the 
very cleanest thing you can think of to put next to the 
wound. The inside part of a clean, folded handkerchief 
would probably be the best you could do, or failing this 
the inside of a clean sheet of notepaper, or the inside 
of an envelope. Having put something clean over the 
wound, you must add padding of some sort — several 
handkerchiefs or pieces of rag. Then bind up very firmly 
with tight, even pressure so as to stop the bleeding. 

You can do this with strips of rag or a large, folded 
handkerchief. Make the patient keep his hand raised, 
or put it in a sling, which you can make from a scarf if 
you have one. Remember that your help is only first aid : 
so take the patient to a grown-up person who will attend 
to the wound more thoroughly, or take him to a doctor 
to be stitched up. 



NAILS 13 

A graze. A graze is a bad scrape which has taken the 
skin off, and is usually covered with dirt — grit off the 
road, and so on. It will not be bleeding much, as a rule. 
The treatment should be to wash it well with clean warm 
water, soaking it till the dirt comes away, and clean it 
with little swabs of wool or cloth. When all the grit is 
removed cover the graze with a clean piece of rag. 
Bandage firmly, but not tight enough to be uncomfortable. 

Nails 

In the Japanese army, where soldiers keep themselves 
very clean, they have the order that before eating a meal 
thy must always wash their hands, and they must at no 
time allow their nails to be dirty. It is believed that it 
is this rule which has prevented a great deal of illness 
among the soldiers. 





Toe-nail cutting. 
Right. Wrong. 

The reason for it is that these poisonous little germs, 
which float about in the air, live on dirt and are very liable 
to get on to your hands and to hide under your finger- 
nails, therefore you should always be careful to keep 
these clean, especially before handling your food. Nails, 
both on fingers and toes, should be kept properly trimmed 
with scissors. 



14 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Soldiers as well as other people, very often suffer 
lameness and great pain from the nail of their big toe 
growing down into the toe at one side. 

Toe-nail Cutting 

This is often caused by letting the nail grow too long 
until by the pressure of the shoe, it is driven to grow 
sideways into the toe. So you should be careful to cut 
your toe-nails frequently every week or ten days, and 
they should be cut square across the top, not rounded, 
and with sharp scissors. 

Finger nails should also be cut about once a week to 
keep them in good order. They can be rounded to the 
shape of the finger to prevent the corners catching and 
getting torn. 

Biting the nails is very bad for them. 

Teeth 

There is no part of you that poisonous germs attack 
more readily than your teeth. They get in between them 
and burrow inside them, and bring about that awful pain 
known as toothache, and the teeth decay and have to be 
pulled out ; and consequently your food after that does 
not get properly chewed. 

But you can prevent this for yourself if you take the 
trouble to clean your teeth properly, and to brush and 
wash away these germs out of your mouth. 

The first thing is to have a toothbrush. This you can 
buy for a few cents at any drugstore. If you cannot af- 
ford to buy one you can at any rate make one for your- 



TEETH 15 

self. There are no drug stores in the wilds of Africa, 
and yet the natives there have splendid teeth, and they 
keep them clean by continually brushing them after every 
meal with little brushes made out of bits of stick. 

They take a short stick and hammer the end of it until 
it is all frayed out like a paint brush. It is a brush that 
any Brownie can make for herself in a few minutes. The 
thing is not to forget to use it every morning and every 
evening, when you get up and before going to bed, and 
also if possible after your midday meal. 



-6 inches - 




Attack those germs with a brush and get them out 
from their hiding places between and behind the teeth, 
and wash them out with mouthfuls of water, so that they 
don't get a chance of burrowing and destroying your 
grinders. 

In pioneer days when the Indians scalped people they 
seized them by the hair growing on the crown of the 
head, which they called the scalp lock. A very good way 
to stand tall and sit tall is to imagine a string tied to your 
scalp lock, drawing you up to the ceiling or the sky, and 
all the rest of you, both inside and out, will fall into good 
position. It is quite painless, so try it. 



Games and Practices 

A strict obedience to the rules of a game, good tem- 
per, pluck and honest, unselfish play count as much as 
skill in playing. 

A Scout always shakes hands when she loses a game 
and congratulates the winner. 

Day and Night 

The players divide into two parties and form in two 
lines, back to back, about three paces apart. One of the 
lines is named the " Day Party," the other the " Night 
Party." The leader has a disk painted black on one side 
and a white on the other. (A coin may be used instead 
of the disk.) In front of each party is a goal. The 
leader throws the disk into the air. If the disk alights 
with the white side up the leader calls " Day." The 
" Day Party " then rushes toward its goal and the u Night 
Party " pursues, tagging as many players of the M Day 
Party " as possible. These they take back to their own 
line. The disk is thrown again, and the party whose 
side turns up starts for their goal as before. The game 
continues in this way until all the players on one of the 
sides are lost. 

Dodge Ball 

Of any even number of players, half form a circle, 
while the other half stand inside the ring, facing outward. 

16 



GAMES AND PRACTICES 17 

The players in the center dodge the ball, which, while in 
play, is thrown by any of those forming the circle. 
Those who are hit with the ball take their places among 
those around the circle, and have an equal chance at 
those remaining in the center. One is put out at a time. 
This is kept up until no one is left in the circle, after 
which the players exchange places, that is, those who 
were in the circle now form around the circle, and vice 
versa. 

Cross Tag 

Any player who is chased may be relieved by any other 
player running between her and the one trying to tag 
her. The latter must then run after the player who ran 
between, till she in turn is relieved. 

Sculptor 

One of the players is chosen as the u Sculptor " and 
she arranges the other players in different positions and 
attitudes as statues. No player dares move or speak, for 
as soon as she does the sculptor punishes her by beating 
her with a knotted handkerchief or towel, called the 
" sack-beetle." After having arranged the players to suit 
her fancy the sculptor leaves the playground, saying: 
" The sculptor is not at home." No sooner is she gone 
than the statues come to* life, sing, dance, jump and play 
havoc in general. On the return of the sculptor she 
counts, " One, two, three," and any player who is not in 
her former posture at " three " receives a beating with 
the knotted handkerchief from the sculptor. Should the 
sculptor punish the wrong statue all the players rush at 



18 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

her with knotted handkerchiefs and drive her to a goal 
pr 'iously decided upon, and the game is resumed with 
some other player as sculptor. 

Inventory Game 

Let each girl go into a room for half a minute and 
when she comes out let her make a list of what she has 
seen. Then compare lists to find who has seen the most. 

Testing Noses 

This is easiest with the competitors blindfolded. Let 
them smell different things and tell what they are. Also 
the objects may be placed in bags but this means much 
more work. 

Three Deep 

Twenty-four or more players form a circle of pairs 
with space enough between the players (who stand closely 
one behind the other, facing the center of the circle) to 
allow the runners to turn and run in all directions. Two 
players on the outside of the circle and at a distance from 
each other begin the game. One of these is called the 
" tagger," the other is " It." She tries to tag " It " be- 
fore she can secure a place in front of any of the pairs 
forming the circle. If she succeeds, the player who has 
been tagged then becomes the " tagger " and the former 
' tagger " tries to secure a place in front of some pair. 
But whenever the runner (the player pursued) has suc- 
ceeded in getting in front of a pair before being tagged, 
then the hindmost (the last or third in the respective 
rank) must take to her heels and seek to evade the un- 



GAMES AND PRACTICES 19 

successful " tagger," who now turns her attention to the 
runner. In trying to evade a tagger the successive 
player may run in any direction, either left or right, out- 
side the circle, but not pass in front of any one rank to 
another rank in such a manner as to induce wrong starts. 
A hindmost player may also form in front of his own 
rank, making the second player in such rank hindmost 
or " third." The play is always directed against the 
third or last of a rank, two players being the number 
limited to each place. 

(When numbers of players in the beginning are too 
large the circle may be formed by rows or ranks of 
threes, instead of twos or pairs.) 

Expert players may form several circles and run from 
circle to circle, two pairs playing simultaneuosly. The 
above play may be varied in a number of ways. 

Chasing an Owl 

Another good stalking game is chasing the owl. This 
is done in thick woods where one Scout represents the 
owl hooting at intervals and then moving to one side for 
a distance. Each pursuer when seen is called out of the 
game, and the owl, if a real good one, may get safely back 
to her stump. 

Turkey and Wildcat 

This is played by the turkey blindfolded " going to 
roost " in some place where there are plenty of twigs or 
dry leaves to crack and rustle. At the first sound the 
turkey jumps. If not then within reach of one wildcat, 
she is safe and another wildcat has a chance. This is 



20 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

sometimes very laughable for the turkey being blind- 
folded may jump right on the wildcat. 

Walking the Plank 

Lay on the ground a couple of boards edgewise with 
an apple or small prize on the ground at the end of the 
board for the Brownie who can walk the plank, squat or 
stoop and pick up the prize, turn round and bring it safely 
back again. 

(This practice is most valuable in producing concen- 
tration of mind and action — the effort of body-balance 
develops mental balance.) 

Stepping-Stones 

Put down small bits of board, or cardboard (nailed 
to the ground) or mark on the ground a twisty line of 
stepping stones as if for crossing a brook — some close 
together, others far apart. Each Brownie to try the 
course in turn, two tries. In the second try she carries 
in her hand a board about eight inches square on which 
is a small ball which, of course, must not be dropped. 

(Object similar to that of " Walking the Plank.") 

First Class Brownie 

These are what you have to do to become a First Class 
Brownie. 

I. Intelligence. Know the semaphore alphabet and 
know how to send and read 3 letters 
out of 4 correctly. 
Know how to count change of a dollar. 



THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER 



21 



Know first and last stanzas of Star 

Spangled Banner. 
Know how to tell time by watch. 



II. Handcraft. 



Know eight points of compass. 

Knit scarf or make sewing bag, or 

make and dress a paper doll. 
Clean knives, forks and spoons. 



III. Service. Carry a message and remember it for 

five minutes and deliver it correctly. 
Fold clothes neatly. 

IV. Health. Apply triangular bandage. 

Perform five physical exercises. 



THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER 

Oh ! say, can you see, by the dawn's early light, 

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleam- 
ing? 
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous 
fight, 
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly 
streaming ? 
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, 
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still 
there. 



22 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

chorus : 

Tis the star-spangled banner, Oh ! long may it wave 
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave! 

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep, 
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes, 

What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep 
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses? 

Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam, 
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream. 

Oh ! thus be it e'er when freemen shall stand 
Between their loved homes and war's desolation ; 

Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heaven rescued land 
Praise the power that hath made and preserved us a 
nation, 

Then, conquer we must, when our cause it is just, 
And this be our motto, " In God is our trust." 

MY COUNTRY, 'TIS OF THEE 

My country ! 'tis of thee, 

Sweet land of liberty, 
Of thee I sing: 

Land where my fathers died ! 
Land of the Pilgrim's pride! 

From every mountain side 
Let freedom ring. 

My native country, thee, 
Land of the noble free, 



HOW TO CHANGE A DOLLAR 23 

Thy name I love; 

I love Thy rocks and rills, 
Thy woods and templed hills ; 

My heart with rapture thrills, 
Like that above. 

Let music swell the breeze, 

And ring from all the trees 
Sweet freedom's song; 

Let mortal tongues awake, 
Let all that breathe partake, 

Let Rocks their silence break, 
The sound prolong. 

Our Father's God, to Thee, 

Author of Liberty, 
To Thee we sing; 

Long may our land be bright 
With freedom's holy light; 

Protect us by Thy might, 
Great God, our King! 

How to Change a Dollar 

American money is divided into 

Cents, which are made of copper. 
5 cent pieces, commonly called nickels (made of base 
metal). 
10 cents, commonly called a dime (made of silver). 
25 cents, commonly called a quarter (silver). 
50 cents, or half a dollar (silver). 



24 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

ioo cents make a dollar, which is sometimes made of 
paper and sometimes made of silver. 

After you learn to count money up to one hundred 
cents or one dollar, it is easy to handle larger sums, such 
as five dollars, ten dollars. 

The abbreviation for cents is cts. or $. 

The abbreviation for dollar is this sign : $. 

The monogram of the United States, " U. S.," makes 
the dollar sign if you leave off the bottom of the U. 

Reading the Compass 

Some time ago some wild Australian natives were 
taken for a voyage on a ship. They had always been 
accustomed to finding their way by tracks on the ground, 
so when they got to sea they wondered how the Captain 
of the ship found his way across the trackless ocean and 
they kept a look-out in the bow looking over in the water 
to see if they could discover the footmarks or signs by 
which the Captain was finding his way, till at last they 
went to him and said, u How do you manage it?" So 
the Captain showed them the compass which told him 
which way was north, which south, east and west, and 
that by reading the compass, and reading his map with 
it, he was able to go into strange parts of the world with- 
out ever having been there before, but always able to find 
his way because he knew which way was north by the 
compass. He marked the points of the compass on his 
map and by comparing the map and the compass it led 
him north, south, east, or west. And so it is also neces- 
sary for a Girl Scout or a Brownie to know the points of 



MAKE DOLL'S CLOTHES 25 

the compass, because at any time you may be told to go 
off to the north or to the south with a message, or you 
want to know which way the wind is blowing, whether 
it is a north wind which is going to bring cold or an east 
wind, rain, and so on. But how can you do this if you 
do not know which is the south or which is the north? 
When you have not got a compass it is quite easy to judge 
this by the sun. The sun gets up in the east and sets in 
the west and in the middle of the day it is due south of 
you if you are in the northern part of the world. A 
Brownie must understand this and the different points 
of the compass before she can be considered a good 
useful messenger. 

Clean Knives, Forks and Spoons 

Use very hot water for first cleaning them to get off 
the grease. That is the secret of success. Rinse them 
and use dry clean towels. But mind you do not put the 
white handles of knives in the water, because they are 
apt to crack if you do so. 

Make Doll's Clothes or Brownie's Overall 

In Australia there is a school where the boys were 
taught farming, but the first thing that a boy had to do 
when he got there was to make his own saddle and bridle 
for riding a horse. He was only allowed to use that 
same saddle during the rest of his time at the school, 
some three or four years, so if he did not make it neatly 
and well, he was the laughing-stock of the other boys for 
the rest of his time. And it is much the same with the 



26 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Brownies. They are given directions how to make their 
clothes but if they make them badly, well then they will 
be ashamed of them for the rest of their time as Brownies. 
So be careful to listen to all that is told you as to how 
you should make the things and then make them as well 
as you possibly can. 

Knitting 

Of course you can do knitting either with a machine or 
with knitting needles by hand, but I strongly advise doing 
it by hand for though it is a little bit more difficult to 
learn at first it is much more pleasing afterwards. By 
being able to knit you can do good turns to other people 
very often indeed. All people, men and women, are 
glad to have warm things made for them in winter time, 
and by being able to knit a Brownie can lend a hand and 
give great happiness to other people. 

Fold Clothes Neatly 

A soldier or sailor on going to bed always puts his 
clothes neatly in some spot where he can find them readily 
in the dark and slip into them quickly in the case of 
alarm. And so also Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts do the 
same, because you never know when an accident may 
happen; the house may be on fire, or a thief may break 
in, and you may want your clothes suddenly in the dark. 
If you have them already folded in their place, you can 
readily find them and be quickly dressed. But if your 
clothes are lying all over the place it is impossible to find 
them in the dark. But there is another reason also for 



APPLYING A TRIANGULAR BANDAGE 27 

keeping your clothes neatly folded. And that is that 
they last much longer when properly taken care of, and 
always look neat, instead of getting baggy, worn and 
thread-bare. No true Brownie ever leaves her clothes 
lying about in an untidy way. 

To Carry a Message in Your Head 

Scouts and Brownies are very often employed as mes- 
sengers and have done very good work. That is why so 
many of them have won War Service badges in the 
Great War. And the reason they are used is because 
they remember what is told them, carry it in their heads 
and deliver it properly. A Brownie learns her message 
by heart as soon as it is given to her, and repeats it to the 
person who gives it ; then she keeps on repeating it while 
she goes along, and remembers that all the time she is 
going she is on duty, and therefore it is her business not 
to stop and loiter and look at other things, but to get her 
duty done. In this way her attention fixed on her work 
she can always deliver her message at the end of the 
journey quite correctly as she got it in the first instance. 

Applying a Triangular Bandage 

This is a thing that every Brownie ought to know how 
to do. It looks quite easy when you see other people do 
it, but it is most important that you should know how to 
do it yourself, and to do it correctly, because when people 
are injured it is necessary for a Brownie to keep her 
head and to be able to put on the bandage so that it will 
do real good, and not merely look like a good bandage. 



28 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

There are a great many ways of applying the triangular 
bandage. When you become a Scout you will learn these. 
At present the three most useful ways are given you, and 
as you only have three to learn you will be expected to 
apply these really well. The large arm-sling is used to 
support the forearm and hand. This is how you put it 
on. Open out the triangular bandage, lay it across the 
patient's chest so that the point comes under the elbow 
of the injured arm. One of the ends will then be over 
the good shoulder. Take hold of the other end and bring 
it up over the bad shoulder, round the neck, and tie it in 
a square or reef knot. Then fold the point over the 
elbow and pin it neatly. 

To apply a triangular bandage to a sprained ankle, 
fold it into what is called a u wide bandage." This means 
bring the point down to the base, then fold it once again. 



Wide Bandage 



POINT 




A 



/^7\ ^^x 



BASE B. B. 



Apply the middle of this to the sole of the patient's 
foot, bring the two ends up and cross the bandage firmly 
over the instep (or top of foot). Bring the ends round 
the ankle tightly, cross at the back, bring up round again 
and tie in a square or reef knot. This bandage is useless 
unless applied very firmly. A good way of insuring its 
getting tighter instead of looser, after it is applied is to 



PROFICIENCY BADGES FOR BROWNIES 29 

wet the bandage : it will then shrink in drying and tighten 
the pressure evenly all over. 

Proficiency Badges for Brownies 

Now having won your First Class as a Brownie, you 
can go on and do great things. You can earn badges 
to wear on your arms. Look at these and see which you 
would like, and go in and win. 

These are the Proficiency Badges for which First Class 
Brownies may qualify. They are in four groups. 

Group I. Intelligence. 

Group II. Handcraft. 

Group III. Service to Others. 

Group IV. Physical Health. 

Group I. Intelligence 

Collector. — For collecting stamps, 
medal ribbons, specimens, crests, 
etc., or keeping a scrap-book. 
(Neatness of arrangement to 
count.) 

Observer. — Study of animals, 
birds, plants, etc. Tracking and 
Kim's Game. 



Signaler. — Elementary signaling 
with flags, etc., and scout signs. 




30 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Group II. Handcraft 




Artist. — Drawing or painting 
or modeling. (Self-expression 
rather than artistic merit to count.) 



Weaver. — Knitting, netting, 

patch-work, basket-making. 



Wood-Worker. — Chip carving, 
fretwork, or carpentry. 



Group III. Service for Others 





First Aider. — Know how to treat 
minor injuries and accidents. 

Guide. — Must know how to show 
the way to strangers, and know 
where to find Police Station, Fire 
Station, Doctor, etc., and know the 
history of the place. 

House Worker. — Make tea, peel 
potatoes, prepare vegetables, clean 
up, make bed. 



PHYSICAL HEALTH 31 

Group IV. Physical Health 



Athlete. — Able to run, jump, 
climb, throw, and catch. 



Swimmer.— Able to swim twen- 
ty-five yards, and float and dive in 
the water. 



Team Player. — For hockey, 
basket ball and other team games. 



Note: — The full details for these will be found in 
the Leaders' Manual. 




PART II 

GIRL SCOUTS 
(II TO 18) 

CHAPTER I 
HOW TO BECOME A TENDERFOOT 

THE SCOUT PROMISE 

On my honour I will try — 

TO DO MY DUTY TO GOD AND TO MY COUNTRY, 
TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE AT ALL TIMES. 
TO OBEY THE SCOUT LAW. 

THE SCOUT LAW 

i. A Scout's honor is to be trusted. 

2. A Scout is loyal. 

3. A Scout's duty is to be useful and to help others. 

4. A Scout is a friend to all, and a sister to every other 
Girl Scout. 

5. A Scout is courteous. 

6. A Scout Keeps herself pure. 

7. A Scout is a friend to animals. 

8. A Scout obeys order. 

9. A Girl Scout is cheerful. 
10. A Scout is thrifty. 

33 



34 



SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 



WHAT IS A GIRL SCOUT? 

This is a Girl Scout. 

She is in her uniform, wearing her badges of rank and 
awards for proficiency. 

The stripes on her left breast and the badge in her hat 
show that she is a Patrol Leader — that is, she com- 




A Girl Scout. 



mands a group of seven other Scouts who form the 
" Patrol. " She carries in her hand the flag of the Patrol. 
The badge on her right breast is that for " War Service " 
— meaning that she has done public service during the 
war. 



WHAT DO GIRL SCOUTS DO? 



35 



What Do Girl Scouts Do? 

Look on the cover and you will see that they are jolly 
people who enjoy themselves, they are a happy sister- 
hood who do good turns to other people. 










As a Munition Worker. 

In Europe Girl Scouts are called Girl Guides and this 
is what they have done abroad during the Great War. 

In the towns they have helped at the Military Hospitals 
as assistants to the ward-maids, cooks, and laundry 
women. In the Government offices, such as the War 
Office, the Admiralty, and other great departments of the 
State, they have acted as orderlies and messengers. They 
have taken up work in factories, or as motor-drivers, or 
on farms, in order to release men to go to the front. 

At home and in their club-rooms they have made band- 
ages for the wounded, and warm clothing for the men at 
the Front and in the Fleet. 

(S.T. stands for "Stand tall and Sit tall") 



36 



SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 



In the country they have collected eggs for the sick, 
and on the moors have gathered sphagnum moss for the 
hospitals. 

Over in France a great Recreation and Rest Hut for 
the soldiers has been supplied by the Guides with funds 
earned through their work. It is managed by Guide 
officers, or ex-Guides. Among the older Guides there 
are many who have done noble work with the Hospitals 

\ 




A Hostel Scout. 

at home and overseas ; there was one in particular who 
went through great adventures in Serbia during the in- 
vasion of that country. 

At home in many of the great cities the Scouts have 
turned their Headquarters' Club-Rooms into " Hostels. " 
That is, they have made them into small hospitals ready 
for taking in people injured in air-raids by the enemy. 

So altogether the Scouts have shown themselves to be 
a pretty useful lot in many different kinds of works dur- 
ing the war, and, mind you, they are only girls between 
the ages of n and 18. But they have done their bit in 



WHAT DO GIRL SCOUTS DO? 37 

the Great War as far as they were able, and have done 
it well. 

There are 64,000 of them, and they are very smart, and 
ready for any job that may be demanded of them. 

They were not raised for this special work during the 
war, for they began some years before it, but their 
motto is " Be Prepared," and it was their business to 
train themselves to be ready for anything that might 
happen, even the most unlikely thing. 




Scout Orderly. 

So even when war came they were " all there " and 
ready for it. 

It is not only in Great Britain that they have been 
doing this, but — in Canada and Australia, West, East, 
and South Africa, New Zealand, the Falkland Islands, 
West Indies, and India. The Scouts are a vast sister- 
hood of girls, ready to do anything they can for their 
country and Empire. 



38 



SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 



In this book I will show you as briefly as possible how 
you become a Scout, and what you have to do to make 
yourself fit for service. And I can tell you right off 
now that one thing you've got to do is to laugh and 
enjoy it all; you can't help doing so when you get into it. 

What the Guides Do 

As a Guide your first duty is to be helpful to other 
people, both in small everyday matters and also under the 
worst of circumstances. You have to imagine to yourself 




Finding the Wounded. 

what sort of things might possibly happen, and how you 
should deal with them when they occur. Then you will 
know what to do. 

I was present when a German aeroplane dropped a 
bomb on to a railway station in London. There was the 
usual busy scene of people seeing to their luggage, say- 
ing good-bye and going oflf by train, when with a sudden 
bang a whole car was blown to bits, and the adjoining 



WHAT THE SCOUTS DO 39 

ones were in a blaze; seven or eight of those active in 
getting into the train were flung down — mangled and 
dead; while some thirty more were smashed, broken, 
and bleeding, but still alive. The suddenness of it made 
it all the more horrifying. But one of the first people I 
noticed as keeping their heads was a smartly dressed 
young lady kneeling by an injured working-man; his 
thigh was smashed and bleeding terribly ; she had ripped 




Binding up Injuries. 

up his trouser with her knife, and with strips of it had 
bound a pad to the wound ; she found a cup somehow and 
filled it with water for him from the overhead hose for 
filling engines. Instead of being hysterical and useless, 
she was as cool and ready to do the right thing as if 
she had been in bomb-raids every day of her life. Well, 
that is what any girl can do if she only prepares herself 
for it. 

Long before there was any idea of the war the Scouts 
had been taught to think out and to practise what they 
should do supposing such a thing as war happened in 



40 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

their own country, or that people should get injured by 
bombs or by accidents in their neighbourhood. 

In order to be able to deal with such cases the first 
thing that you have to know is how to go out in the 
country and find the wounded by following their tracks 
to where they have crawled away to hide themselves or 
get water; you must know how to bind up their wounds 
temporarily; how to light a fire and boil up some hot 
soup, or fomentations for their injuries; you must be 
able to signal to other Scouts in the distance in order 
to call up help ; you must be able to make a shelter out 
of the brush-wood around you, or to rig up a stretcher or 
means of carrying the injured on carts or barrows and 
so to get them in to hospital. 

Then you have to know how to turn a room or a cellar 
into a ward, how to make up beds and apparatus for the 
use of the sick and wounded ; how to nurse them ; how to 
change their bandages ; how to cook their food ; what sort 
of ventilation is necessary; how to wash the linen and 
so on. 

Convalescent Nursing 

Finally there comes the convalescent stage when your 
patients are getting better, and you have to give them more 
nourishing food, cooked in a tempting manner, and you 
have to keep their minds active and cheerful by being 
able to read or sing to them, and so to cheer them back 
to life. 

These are things which have to be learnt in peace-time, 
and because they were learnt by the Scouts beforehand, 






FRONTIER LIFE 



4i 




Cheering them back to life. 

these girls were able to do their bit so well when, war 
came. 

Frontier Life 

But they have to Be Prepared for many other things 
besides sickness. It falls to the lot of very many girls to 
take up life Overseas, and very often it is a rough life, 
and one full of adventures and romance. 

But although this sounds nice in books and stories it 
is no fun for a girl who has had everything done for 
her at home, to find herself stranded in an outlandish 
place with no one available to help her, no 
water or gas laid on, no shops, or bakers, no 
cooks, no doctors. 

She has to do everything for herself. This 
is where so many women, who had charge of 
ambulances in Serbia and other countries during the war, 
came out so splendidly, doing everything for themselves, 




42 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

and showing the greatest possible courage and handiness 
in the difficulties and dangers of active service. 

(S.T.) 

A story which should appeal with special force to Girl 
Scouts is that of Emilienne Moreau. 

She is a French girl, and was living at Loos where the 
heavy fighting took place in October, 1915. 

When the Germans took the place and held it, after 
their retreat from the Marne a year before, she, with 
her family, remained there and made the best of things 
under the German occupation. 

She lived with her aged father and invalid mother, a 
sister, and a small brother of ten. 

The father, broken in health and spirits by the presence 
of the hated Germans, died. Loos was practically empty 
of inhabitants, business was at a standstill — it was im- 
possible to get a coffin even in which to bury the poor 
man. 

So this girl, with the help of her young brother, got 
hold of some planks and themselves made one for their 
father's body. 

In September she noticed that the German garrison of 
the place were getting disturbed. More men 
were put into the town, and more defensive works 
were made. Shells began to fall, and the firing 
to become more intense day by day. 

Instead of hiding in the cellar she climbed into the roof, 
where through a hole in the tiles, she was able to see the 



FRONTIER LIFE 43 

fighting that went on between the German defenders 
and the Highlanders who were attacking. 

For several days it continued, but the Scotsmen finally 
got into the town and drove the Germans out from street 
to street with hand-to-hand fightings. 

In a hidden corner five Germans kept fighting our troops 
unseen until this girl discovered their position. 

She got hold of some hand-grenades and threw them 
in among them, killing three of them. The two survivors 
attacked her with bayonets, but she had armed herself 
with the revolver belonging to a dead British officer, and 
as they came at her she turned it on them with quick 
and steady aim and shot them both. 

Then she went to work, regardless of the danger of 
rifle fire and shrapnel, tending the wounded, rendering 
first-aid, bringing water and blankets to them, thereby 
saving their lives and easing the pain of a number of 
British soldiers. 

Our officers found her doing these things. She was 
personally thanked and congratulated by the British gen- 
eral for her valuable assistance to the medical stafif, and 
for her courage and gallant help against 
the enemy, and she was later on awarded 
the French Military Cross " for valour 
on the field of battle. " Later we heard 
that Emilienne Moreau was a French Girl Scout, and 
what this gallant French girl did, her sister Girl Scouts 
in Britain would, I hope, also do in similar circumstances. 

But it could only be done when a girl has trained her- 
self as the Scouts do to be plucky, to be handy, to keep 




44 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

cool, to know what is the right thing to do — and to do 
it at no matter what risk to herself. 

Frontierswomen 

I have met many fine frontierswomen in my time. In 
Matabeleland, when the natives rose against us, Mrs. 
Selous, the wife of the great elephant hunter, was alone 
in her home, thirty miles away from the nearest town. 
Some natives living close by came and asked her for the 




A Frontier-woman's Ride for Life. 

loan of as many axes as she could spare, as they wanted 
to chop firewood. Shortly afterwards her husband, who 
had been away shooting, came galloping in, and told her 
to saddle and mount her horse at once and to get away 
as the natives were " up " and murdering the white in- 
habitants. 

Being a f rontierswoman it did not take her long 
to catch and saddle up her horse, and in a few min- 
utes she and her husband had left their home, and 
were riding for their lives towards Bulawayo. Be- 
fore they were out of sight of their house they could see 
smoke and flames already issuing from it. The natives 



FRONTIERSWOMEN 45 

who had borrowed the axes had done so with the object of 
murdering them, and finding that they had escaped, wee 
now wreaking their vengeance on their property. It was 
just Mrs. Selous' promptness, cool-headedness, and ability 
to ride that saved her life. 

Another woman at that time was similarly out on her 
farm, while her husband was away in some other part 
of the country. The natives surrounded her house in 
the night and attacked her faithful native servants. 
Knowing her danger, she slept in her clothes, and real- 
ising what was the matter when she heard the noise of 
the attack, she seized her revolver and, slipping out of 
the house through a back window, she escaped into the 
garden and hid herself behind a tombstone there. In 
the early dawn the marauders departed, and she came 
out of her hiding-place to find her home wrecked and 
her faithful servants all killed. A relief party of white 
men soon after arrived from the nearest township, and 
found her quite self-possessed and calm. The only ex- 
citement she showed was her intense relief at the fact that 
one of the attackers had seized her sewing machine and 
was making ofif with it when he was killed by one of 
her men, and had dropped the machine at a spot where it 
just escaped falling down the well. So she rode back to 
Salisbury in triumph with her rescuers, clutch- 
ing her beloved sewing machine. She had no 
sooner reached safety than she discovered that 
she had dropped her revolver, and she insisted 
on going back again to find it. You might think that she 
could have got a new revolver in the town, but that was 




46 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

not the question. The revolver was a favourite of hers, 
because, although old and rather out of gear, she had 
once killed a lion with it. 

She had many other exciting adventures in Rhodesia 
which I have not space to tell here, but she was a splendid 
type of what a London girl can do when put to it in 
places of difficulty and danger, if only she has trained 
herself. 

(S.T.) 

The story of Laura Secord, the heroine of Canada, 
shows what a frontierswoman may be called upon to do, 
and what she can do if only she has Been Preparing her- 
self in strength of mind and body like a Scout. 

Canada was at war with the United States over a hun- 
dred years ago. Battles between the Americans and the 
English were being fought on all sides in that unhappy 
year 1812. After the engagement on Queenstown 
Heights a terror-stricken woman went tramping over the 
field where the slain were lying in search of her husband. 
Laura Secord had heard that her husband had been 
wounded and left there for dead; but on finding him, to 
her joy she discovered that he was still alive, though 
badly injured. 

It was during his long illness that a report was brought 
to Laura Secord that the Americans were again coming 
to surprise the English, unknown to the general. 

Owing to her pluck and determination, Laura achieved 
a famous deed of heroism and saved her country by tak- 
ing the information of the advance of the enemy right 



FRONTIERSWOMEN 47 

away to the commanding officer of the British troops. 
Through difficulties and dangers she sped without a fear 
for her own safety; she trudged on through forests and 
bogs, going twenty miles round out of the beaten track 
so as to avoid being traced. In the dusk of the evening 
her path was checked by a deep stream. Here she felt 
almost hopeless, until she found a tree-trunk fallen across 
the water, and by this she managed to scramble to the 
opposite bank. Whilst dreading what might happen at 
home to her invalid husband and her little children left 
behind, Laura Secord still pressed forward through the 
darkness, tired and weak, till she at length reached the 
British camp, and was able to unburden her mind and 
give the news of the danger to the officer in command. 
All present were struck with admiration for her gallant 
effort, and with the knowledge of the impending danger 
thus gained, the British were able to be prepared. 

Now, did not this Laura Secord, though quite untrained, 
do every part of the duty of a Girl Scout? She showed 
sense of duty in leaving all that was dearest to her to 
go off to the commander. 

She showed cleverness and resource in 

getting through the American outposts by 

driving her cow in front of her, pretending 

that she was merely taking her out to graze. 

She showed endurance going such a long journey 

rapidly and well, being healthy and fit for hard work. 

Also campaigning in being able to find her way by a 
circuitous route through forests and by night, and yet not 
seen by the enemy — saving life, too, not only of the 



48 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

soldiers in the force, but eventually of all her nation, by 
freeing her country of the enemy. 

She showed patriotism by sacrificing her own wishes 
for the good of her country, and risking her life for the 
good of her nation. 

Why "Scouts"? 

On the North- West Frontier of India there is a famous 
Corps of soldiers known as the Scouts, and their duty 
is to be always ready to turn out at any moment to repel 
raids by the hostile tribes across the Border, and to 
prevent them from coming down into the peaceful plains 
of India. This body of men must be prepared for every 
kind of fighting. Sometimes on foot, sometimes on 
horseback, sometimes in the mountains, often with pioneer 
work, wading through rivers and making bridges, and 
so on. But they have to be a skilful lot of men, brave 
and enduring, ready to turn out at any time, winter or 
summer, or to sacrifice themselves if necessary in order 
that peace may reign throughtout India while they keep 
down any hostile raids against it. So they are true 
handymen in every sense of the word, and true patriots. 

When people speak of Scouts in Europe one naturally 
thinks of those men who are mountaineers in Switzerland 
and other mountainous place, who can guide people over 
the most difficult parts by their own bravery and skill in 
tackling obstacles, by helpfulness to those with them, and 
by their bodily strength of wind and limb. They are 
splendid fellows those guides, and yet if they were told 
to go across the same amount of miles on an open flat 



WHY "SCOUTS"? 



49 



plain it would be nothing to them, it would not be in- 
teresting, and they would not be able to display those 
grand qualities which they show directly the country is a 




Facing a Difficulty. 

bit broken up into mountains. It is no fun to them to 
walk by easy paths, the whole excitement of life is fac- 
ing difficulties and dangers and apparent impossibilities, 



50 



SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 



and in the end getting a chance of attaining the summit 
of the mountain they have wanted to reach. 

Well, I think it is the case with most girls nowadays. 
They do not want to sit down and lead an idle life, not 
to have everything done for them, nor to have a very 
easy time. They don't want merely to walk across the 
plain, they would much rather show themselves handy 
people, able to help others and ready, if necessary, to 
sacrifice themselves for others just like the Scouts on 




Why " Scout 



the North-west Frontier. And they also want to tackle 
difficult jobs themselves in their life, to face mountains 
and difficulties and dangers, and to go at them having 
prepared themselves to be skilful and brave; and also 
they would like to help other people to get over their 
difficulties also. When they attain success after facing 
difficulties, then they feel really happy and triumphant. 
It is a big satisfaction to them to have succeeded and 



"BE PREPARED !" 51 

to have made other people succeed also. That is what 
the Girl Scouts want to do, just like the mountaineer 
guides do among the mountains. 

Then, too, a woman who can do things is looked up 
to by others, both men and women, and they are always 
ready to follow her advice and example, so there she 
becomes a Scout too. And later on if she has children 
of her own, or if she becomes a teacher of children, 
she can be a really good Scout to them. 

In fact, if one caricatured a Scout one would draw her 
thus : — " Turn to the right and keep straight on." And 
for these reasons the name Scout was given to them orig- 
inally. 

By means of games and activities which the Scouts 
practise they are able to learn the different things which 
will help them to get on in life, and show the way to 
others to get on also. Thus camping and signalling, first 
aid work, camp cooking, and all these things that *^~*s^ 
the Scouts practise are all going to be helpful to \/ 
them afterwards in making them strong, resource- * 
ful women, skilful and helpful to others, and strong in 
body as well as in mind, and what is more it makes them 
a jolly cheery lot of comrades also. 

"Be Prepared!" 

The motto of the Scouts on which they work is " Be 
Prepared," that is, be ready for any kind of duty that 
may be thrust upon them, and what is more, to know what 
to do by having practised it beforehand in the case of 
any kind of accident or any kind of work that they may 



52 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

be asked to take up. Thousands of women have done 
splendid work in this war, but thousands more would 
have been able to do good work also had they only Been 
Prepared for it beforehand by learning a few things 
that are useful to them outside their mere school work or 
work in their own home. And that is what the Scouts 
are learning in all their games and camp work; they 
mean to be useful in other ways besides what they are 
taught in school. 



How to Join 

You join a Troop in your neighborhood and become 



a 



member of one of the Patrols in it. A Patrol is a group 
of eight girls, under the command of a Patrol Leader. 
Each Patrol is called after a bird or a flower, and has 
that flower or bird embroidered on its flag. The Patrol 
is the team for play or for work, and each Patrol endeav- 
ors — or at least considers itself — to be the best in 
the Troop. 

If there is no Troop in your neighborhood you can 
become a "Lone Scout." That is, you can make the 

^r promise, carry out the Scout Law and all the 
<^*/- practices by yourself, and you can wear the uni- 

^•^ form and win the badges. 

For this you must report and be registered. That is, 
if you cannot hear of a Scout officer near you, write to 
the Secretary at Headquarters, tell her where you live 
and she will put you in touch with the nearest officer who 
will register you and help you. 



SCOUT RANKS 53 

Scout Ranks 

At first you rank as a Candidate until you pass your 
Tenderfoot tests. Then you can go on and rise to the 
following ranks : — 

Candidate. 

Tenderfoot. 

Second-Class Scout. 

First-Class Scout. 

Corporal. 

Patrol Leader. 

Senior Scout or Citizen Scout. 

HOW TO BECOME A TENDERFOOT 

(S.T.) 

A. You must learn the Scout Law. 

B. You must make the Scout's Promise. 

C. You must learn the Salute and the Woodcraft 

Signs of the Scouts. 

D. You must understand how the Flag is made up, and 

how it should be flown. 

E. You must be able to tie knots and know what they 

are used for ; any four of the following : — 
Reef-knot, Sheet bend, Clove-hitch, Bow- 
line, Fisherman's knot, Sheepshank. 

F. Elementary Scout's Drill. 

This may seem to be rather a lot of things to learn, 
but they are really very easy, and I will show you in the 
next few pages how to do it without much trouble. 




54 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

When you can do these you will no longer be a Candi- 
date, you will be admitted into the Scouts as a " Tender- 
foot/' and can then go on and win badges. 

The Tenderfoot Badge 

The Badge of the Girl Scouts is the 
" Trefoil " (three leaves), which represent 
the three promises made on joining, as the 
three fingers held up in the salute also do. 

The proper place for the Tenderfoot 
Badge is in the centre of the loose ends of the tie. 

A. THE GIRL SCOUT'S LAW 

i. A Girl Scout's Honor is to be Trusted. 

If a Scout says " On my honour it is so," that 
means that it is so just as if she had taken a most 
solemn oath. 

Similarly, if a captain says to a Scout, " I trust you 
on your honor to do this," the Scout is bound to 
carry out the order to the very best of her ability, 
and to let nothing interfere with her doing so. 

If a Scout were to break her honor by telling a lie, 
or by not carrying out an order exactly when trusted 
on her honor to do so, she would cease to be a Scout, 
for the time being, and she may be required to hand 
over her Scout badge. 

2. A Scout is Loyal 

to the President and to her officers, to her mother 
and father, to her employers, to those who may be 



THE GIRL SCOUT'S LAW 55 

under her, and to her friends. She must stick to 
them through thick and thin against any one who is 
their enemy, or who even talks badly of them. A 
Scout will not talk ill of them herself. 

3. A Scout's Duty is to be Useful and to Help 

Others. 

She is to do her duty before anything else, even 
though she gives up her own pleasure, or comfort, 
or safety to do it. When in difficulty to know which 
of two things to do, she must ask herself, " Which 
is my duty ? " — that is, " Which is best for other 
people ? " — and do that one. She must Be Prepared 
at any time to save life and to help injured persons. 
And she should do at least one good turn to some- 
body every day. 

4. A Scout is a Friend to All, and a Sister to 

Every Other Scout. 

Thus, if a Scout meets another Scout, even though 
a stranger to her, she may speak to her, and help 
her in any way that she can, either to carry out the 
duty she is then doing, or by giving her food, or, 
as far as possible, anything that she may be in want 
of. A Scout must never be a snob. A snob is one 
who looks down upon another because she is poorer, 
or who is poor and resents another because she is 
rich. A Scout is like Kim — " Little friend to all the 
world." 



56 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

5. A Scout is Courteous — 

that is, she is polite to all — but especially to old 
people and invalids, cripples, etc. And she must not 
take any reward for being helpful or courteous. 

6. A Girl Scout Keeps Herself Pure. She is Clean 

in Word, in Thought, in Deed. 

She is strong enough in her mind to be above talk- 
ing or listening to dirty subjects. She keeps herself 
pure, clean-minded, and womanly. 

7. A Scout is a Friend to Animals. 

She should save them as far as possible from pain, 
and should not kill any animal unnecessarily, not 
even the smallest of God's creatures. 

8. A Scout Obeys Orders 

of her parents, patrol leader, or Captain without 
question. Even if she gets an order she does not 
like she must do as soldiers and sailors do — she 
must carry it out all the same because it is her ditty. 
After she has done it she can come and state any 
reasons against it ; but she must carry out the order 
at once. That is discipline. 

9. A Girl Scout is Cheerful 

under all difficulties. When she gets an order she 
should obey it cheerily and readily, not in a slow, 
hang-dog sort of way, and should sing even if she 
dislikes it. 



CAMPING TEACHES THE SCOUT LAW 57 

When she is in trouble or in pain it will at once 
relieve her if she forces herself to smile — to "grin 
and bear it." 

Scouts never grumble at hardships, nor whine at 
each other, nor frown when put out. 

A Scout goes about with a smile and singing. It 
cheers her and cheers other people, especially in 
time of danger, for she keeps it up then all the same. 

10. A Scout is Thrifty — 

that is, she saves every penny she can, and puts it 
into the bank, so that she may have money to keep 
herself when out of work, and thus not make her- 
self a burden to others ; or that she may have money 
to give away to others when they need it. 

How Camping Teaches the Scout Law 

Last year a man went out into the woods to try and 
see if he could live like the prehistoric men used to do; 
that is to say, he took nothing with him in the way of 
food or equipment or even clothing — he went just as he 
was, and started out to make his own living as best he 
could. Of course the first thing he had to do was to 
make some sort of tool or w r eapon by which he could kill 
some animals, cut his wood and make his fire and so on. 
So he made a stone axe, and with that was able to cut 
out branches of trees so that he could make a trap in 
which he eventually caught a bear and killed it. He then 
cut up the bear and used the skin for blankets and the 
flesh for food. He also cut sticks and made a little in- 



58 



SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 



strument by which he was able to ignite bits of wood and 
so start his fire. He also searched out various roots 
and berries and leaves, which he was able to cook and 
make into good food, and he even went so far as to make 
charcoal and to cut slips of bark from the trees and draw 
pictures of the scenery and animals around him. In 
this way he lived for over a month in the wild, and came 




" He went just as he was ! " 

out in the end very much better in health and spirits and 
with a great experience of life. For he had learned to 
shift entirely for himself and to be independent of the 
different things we get in civilisation to keep us going in 
comfort. 

That is why we go into camp a good deal in the Boy 
Scout and in the Girl Scout movements, because in camp 
life we learn to do without so many things which while 
we are in houses we think are necessary, and find that we 



CAMPING TEACHES THE SCOUT LAW 59 

can do for ourselves many things where we used to think 
ourselves helpless. And before going into camp it is 
just as well to learn some of the things that will be 
most useful to you when you get there. And that is 
what we teach in the Headquarters of the Girl Scout 
Troops before they go out and take the field. For in- 
stance, you must know how to light your own fire ; how 




^W*>v> 



" You ha\ e not a whole cooking range 



to collect dry enougii wood to rni,ke it bur:. ; bee } 

will not find gas stoves out in the wild. Then you have 
to learn how to find your own water, and good water 
that will not make you ill. You have not a whole cooking 
range or a kitchen full of cooking pots, and so you have 
to learn to cook your food in the simplest way with the 



60 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

means at your hand, such as a simple cooking pot or a 
roasting stick or an oven made with your own hands 
out of an old tin box or something of that kind. 

Nature Study 

It is only while in camp that one can really learn to 
study Nature in the proper way and not as you merely 
do it inside the school ; because here you are face to face 
with Nature at all hours of the day and night. For the 
first time you live under the stars and can watch them by 
the hour and see what they really look like, and realise 
what an enormous expanse of almost endless space they 
cover. You know from your lessons at school that our 





Green Caterpillar. 

sun warms and lights up a large number of different 
worlds like ours, all circling round it in the Heavens. 
And when you hold up a coin at arm's length and look 
at the sky, the coin covers no less than two hundred 
of those suns, each with their different little worlds 
circling round them. And you then begin to realise what 
an enormous endless space the Heavens comprise. You 
realise perhaps for the first time the enormous work of 
God. 

Then also in camp you are living among plants of 
every kind, and you can study them in their natural state, 



NATURE STUDY 61 

how they grow and what they look like, instead of merely 
seeing pictures of them in books or dried specimens of 
them in collections. 

All round you, too, are the birds and animals and in- 
sects, and the more you know of them the more you be- 
gin to like them and to take an interest in them; and 
once you take an interest in them you do not want to 
hurt them in any way. You would not rob a bird's nest ; 
you would not bully an animal; you would not kill an 




Cabbage Butterfly. 

insect — once you have realised what its life and habits 
are. In this way, therefore, you fulfil the Scout Law of 
becoming a friend to animals. 

By living in camp you begin to find that though there 
are many discomforts and difficulties to be got over, they 
can be got over with a little trouble and especially if you 
smile at them and tackle them. 

Then living among other comrades in camp you have 
to be helpful and do good turns at almost every minute, 
and you have to exercise a great deal of give and take 



62 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

and good temper, otherwise the camp would become 
unbearable. 

(S.T.) 

So you carry out the different laws of courteousness, of 
helpfulness, and friendliness to others that come in the 
Scout Law. Also you pick up the idea of how neces- 
sary it is to keep everything in its place, and to keep your 
kit and tent and ground as clean as possible ; otherwise 
you get into a horrible state of dirt, and dirt brings flies 
and other inconveniences. 

You save every particle of food and in this way you 
learn not only cleanliness, but thrift and economy. And 
you very soon realise how cheaply you can live in camp, 
and how very much enjoyment you can get for very little 
money. And as you live in the fresh, pure air of God you 
find that your own thoughts are clean and pure as the 
air around you. There is hardly one of the Scout Laws 
that is not better carried out after you have been living 
and practising it in camp. 

B. THE SCOUT PROMISE 

On my honour I will try — 

i. To do my Duty to God and to my Country. 

2. TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE AT ALL TIMES. 

3. TO OBEY THE SCOUT LAW. 

Duty to God 

An old British chieftain, some thirteen hundred years 
ago, said: 



THE KNIGHTS 63 

" Our life has always seemed to me like the flight of 
a sparrow through the great hall, when one is sitting at 
meals with the log-fire blazing on the hearth, while all 
is storm and darkness outside. He comes in, no one 
knows from where, and hovers for a short time in the 
warmth and light, and then flies forth again into the 
darkness. And so it is with the life of a man; he comes 
no one knows from where ; he is here in the world for a 
short time, till he flies forth again, no one knows whither. 
But now you show us that if we do our duty during our 
life we shall not fly out into darkness again, when life is 
ended, since Christ has opened a door, for us to enter a 
brighter room, a heaven where we can go and dwell in 
peace for ever." 

Religion seems a very simple thing: 

1st. To trust in God. 

2nd. To do good to other people. 

The Knights 

The old knights, who were the scouts of the nation, 
were very religious. They were always careful to attend 
religious service, especially before going into battle or 
undertaking any serious difficulty. They considered it 
was the right thing always to be prepared for death. In 
the great church of Malta you can see to-day where the 
old knights used to pray, and they all stood up and drew 
their swords during the reading of the Creed, as a sign 
that they were prepared to defend the gospel with their 
swords and lives. Besides worshipping God in church, 
the knights always recognised His work in the things 



64 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

which He marie, such as animals, plants, and scenery. 
And so it is with the Scouts to-day, that wherever they 
go they loVC the woodlands, the mountains, and the prai- 
, and they like to watch and know about the animals 
that inhabit them, and the wonders of the flowers and 
plants. Xo man is much good, either to himself or to 
others, unless he believes in God and obeys His laws. 
So every Scout should have a religion. 

Regiments in God's Army 

There are many kinds of religion, such as Roman 
Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Mohammedans, and so on, 
but the main point about them is that they all worship 
(]o<\, although in different ways. They are like an army 
which serves one king, though it is divided into different 
branches, such as cavalry, artillery, and infantry, and 
these wear different uniforms. So, when you meet a 
girl of a different religion from your own, you should 
not be hostile to her, but recognise that she is still serving 
the same king as you. 

In doing your duty to God always be grateful to J Jim. 
Whenever you enjoy a pleasure or a good game, or suc- 
ceed in doing a good thing, thank Him for it, if only with 
a word or two, just as you say grace after a meal. And 
it is a good tiling to bless other people. J ; or instance, if 
you see a train starting off, just pray for God's blessing 
on all that are in the train. 

In doing your duty towards man be helpful and gen- 
erous, and also always be grateful for any kindness done 
to you, and be careful to show that you are grateful. 



THE SCOUTS' SALUTE 65 

How to Become a Star 

Remember that a present given to you is not yours until 
you have thanked the giver for it. While you are the 
sparrow flying through the hail, that is to say, while you 
are living your life on this earth, try and do something 
good which may remain after you. One writer says: 

" I often think that when the sun goes down the world 
is hidden by a big blanket from the light of heaven, but 
the stars are little holes pierced in that blanket by those 
who have done good deeds in this world. The stars are 
not all the same size; some are big, some little, and some 
men have done great deeds and others have done small 
deeds, but they have marie their hole in the blanket by 
doing good before they went to heaven." 

Try and make your hole in the blanket by good work 
while you are on the earth. 

It is SOMETHING to BE GOOD, BUT IT IS FAB BETTER TO 
00 0000. 

Duty to God and Country 

Have you ever thought what a lot we owe to the Kaiser 
William, of Germany. If he had not tried for world 
power, we should never have come together so closely as 
we have done with all our brothers and sisters overseas. 

C. SIGNS AND SIGNALS 

The Scout's Salute 

The right hand raised level with shoulder, palm to the 
front, thumb resting on the nail of the little finger, and 
the other three fingers upright pointing upward. 



66 



SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 



That is the Scout Salute. 

The three fingers held up (like the three points of a 
Scout Badge) remind her of her three 
promises in the Scout Promise. 

i. To do her duty to God and Country. 

2. To help others. 

3. To obey the Scout Law. 

When a Scout meets another for the first 
time in the day, whether she is a comrade or 
a stranger, she salutes. 

She always salutes an officer — that is a 
Patrol Leader or a Captain. 

Also the hoisting of the Flag, the colors 
of a regiment, the playing of Star Spangled 
Banner. 

When the National Anthem is played the 
Scouts do not salute, but merely stand at 
attention. 

When marching in Troop or Patrol formation do not 
salute with the hand. When passing other Troops or 
a superior officer, the officer or Patrol Leader in charge 
alone will salute with the hand, at the same time giving 
the command, " Eyes right," or " Eyes left," as the case 
may be, on which every Scout will turn her head sharply 
in that direction till the officer gives the word " Eyes 
front." 

It is more than ever necessary to hold yourself smartly 
when giving the salue, otherwise you would make a very 
slovenly show of it. 




Not the best 
way to salute. 



WOODCRAFT SIGNS 



67 



Woodcraft Signs 

Scout signs on the ground or wall, etc., close to the 
right-hand side of the road. 
Road to be followed. 




Trees blazed Scratch or chalk Grass or twigs. Stones, 
with axe, paper on ground, 
or chalk. 



Letter hidden five paces from here in the direction of 
the arrow. 



Li 



This path not to be followed. 



£^£3LGi. 



Stop. 



68 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

" I have gone home." 



o 



" I've gone home ! M 

(Signed) Patrol Leader. 

At night sticks with a wisp of grass round them or 
stones should be laid on the road in similar forms so 
that they can be felt with the hand. 

[Practise this.] 

Signals and Signs 

When a Captain wants to call her Scouts together she 
sounds her whistle. Then they double to the Captain. 

Whistle signals are there : — 

One long blast means "Halt/ 1 " Silence," "Alert," 
"Look out for my next signal," or "Cease." (Stop 
what you're doing, look out for next command.) 

A succession of long, slow blasts means " Go out," 
" Get farther away," or " Advance," " Extend," " Scat- 
ter." 

A succession of short, sharp blasts means " Rally," 
" Close in," " Come together," " Fall in." 

A succession of short and long blasts alternately means 
" Alarm," " Look out," " Be ready," " Man your alarm 
posts." 

Three short blasts followed by one long one from Scout 
Captain calls up the patrol leaders — that is, " Leaders 
come here ! " 






OBSERVATION 69 

Any whistle signal must be instantly obeyed at the 
double as fast as ever you can run, no matter what other 
job you may be doing at the time. 

Hand signals (which can also be made by patrol leaders 
with their patrol flags when necessary) : — 

Hand Signals 

" Advance' 3 " Forward. " — Swing the arm from rear 
to front, below the shoulder. 

" Retire!' — Circle the arm above the head. 

u Halt," — Raise the arm to full extension above the 
head, etc. 

"Double" — The closed fist moved up and down be- 
tween your shoulder and thigh. 

"Quick Time" — To change from the "Double" to 
the Quick Time, raise the hand to the shoulder. 

" Reinforce" — Swing the arm from the rear to the 
front above the shoulder. 

" Lie down" — With the open hand make two or three 
slight movements towards the ground. 

" Wheel." — Extend your arm in line with your shoul- 
der and make a circular movement in the direction re- 
quired. 

" Incline." — Extend your arm in line with your shoul- 
der and make a turn with your body in the direction re- 
quired. 

Observation 

Stalking. — A Scout has to be sharp at seeing things if 
she is going to be any good as a Scout. She has to notice 



70 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

every little track and every little sign, and it is this study- 
ing of tracks and following them out and finding out 
their meaning which we include under the name of stalk- 
ing. For instance, if you want to find a bird's-nest you 
have to stalk. That is to say, you watch a bird flying into 
a bush and guess where its nest is, and follow it up and 
find the nest. With some birds it is a most difficult thing 
to find their nests ; take, for instance, the skylark or the 
snipe. But those who know the birds, especially the 
snipe, will recognise their call. The snipe when she is 
alarmed gives quite a dififerent call from when she is 
happy and flying about. She has a particular call when 
she has young ones about. So that those who have 
watched and listened and know her call when they hear 
it know pretty well where the young ones are or where 
the nest is and so on. 

Tracking. — The native hunters in most wild coun- 
tries follow their game by watching for tracks on the 
ground, and they become so expert at seeing the slight- 



OUR SHEEP \*olF *ok 

A few tracks which you may see some day. 

est sign of a footmark on the ground that they can fol- 
low up their prey when an ordinary civilized man can 
see no sign whatever. But the great reason for looking 




OBSERVATION 71 

for signs and tracks is that from these you can read a 
meaning. It is exactly like reading a book. You will 
see the different letters, each letter combining to make 
a word, and the words then make sense; and there are 
also commas and full-stops and colons; all of these alter 
the meaning of the sense. They are all little signs which 
one who is practised and has learnt reading makes into 
sense at once, whereas a savage who has never learned 
could make no sense of it at all. And so it is with 
tracking. 

Reading Signs. — As you know a soldier Scout in war 
can only get his information about the enemy by watch- 
ing for the smallest signs both on the ground and in the 
far distance. In the war of Texas against Mexico in 
the last century, it was very important that the general 
commanding the Mexican Army should be captured when 
the defeat of that army was accomplished by the Texans. 
He had disappeared ; but some of the Scouts of the Texan 
force were out scouting for the enemy when they saw in 
the distance some deer were suddenly startled by some- 
thing they could not see and ran away. The Texan 
Scouts were at once suspicious, and went to the spot as 
fast as they could. There they found a soldier of the 
Mexicans evidently trying to escape. When they caught 
him and opened his tunic they found underneath he was 
wearing a silk shirt, which was not usual with a private 
in the Army. They took him to Headquarters, and there 
found that he was the Commander-in-Chief of the Mexi- 
can Army, trying to escape disguised as a soldier. And 
had it not been that they had noticed the deer being 



72 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

startled, it is probable that they would not have caught 
him. 

Sherlock Holmesing. — In just the same way detectives, 
when they are following up a crime, have to act on the 
very smallest clues, and if they did not use their wits and 
notice these the criminal would probably escape. 

Well, I want Girl Scouts to learn to be almost like 
detectives in their sharpness in noticing small signs and 
reading the meaning of them, not merely for the purpose 
of studying animals and birds, but also for studying 
their human fellow creatures. 

It is by noticing small signs of distress or poverty in 
people that you can often help them in the best way. Gen- 
erally those people who most need help are the ones 
who hide their distress ; and if you are clever and no- 
tice little signs such as unhappiness, you can then give 
them or offer them help in some way or other. In this 
way you learn sympathy for fellow-creatures — not 
merely to be a friend of animals, but also to be a friend 
of your fellow-men in this world; and that again is 
carrying out the Girl Scout Law of helping others and 
being friendly to all. 

Nature in the City. — This noticing of small things, es- 
pecially in animal life, not only gives you great interest, 
but it also gives you great fun and enjoyment in life. 
Even if you live in a city you can do a certain amount 
of observation of birds and animals. You would think 
there is not much fun to be got out of it in a city, and 
yet if you begin to notice and know all about the spar- 
rows you begin to find there is a great deal of character 



OBSERVATION 73 

and amusement to be got out of them, by watching their 
ways and habits, their nesting, and their way of teaching 
their young ones to fly. 

Dissecting. — If you go to the butcher's and get him to 
give you a sheep's foot and you carefully open it up with 
a sharp penknife you will see how wonderfully every bone 
and joint and sinew is made and fitted into the machine 
which enables the foot to move and the sheep to get 
along. Then, if you think it out, you know that if you 
go away across the sea to the other end of the world, 
to Australia or New Zealand, and take a sheep's foot there 
and dissect it in the same way you find it exactly and 
identically the same over there as it is here. God's work 
is the same all over the world. People don't notice these 
things and don't think about them as a rule, and when 
you begin to think it out you begin to see what a won- 
derful work it is of God's, who made all these different 
animals in their own form, all alike, and yet so different 
from the other kind of animals, fishes, or birds. You 
begin to realise then what a wonderful Creator has made 
the world and all that is in it. 



D. OUR FLAG 

Scouts in uniform will always salute the colors (or 
standard of a regiment when they pass. There are 
generally two such standards, one the " Stars and 
Stripes," and the other the " Regimental Colors." 

The Army and Government buildings fly the stars and 
stripes. 



74 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Description of the American Flag 

The flag to-day has thirteen alternate stripes of red 
and white, with a blue field in the corner bearing forty- 
eight stars. The thirteen strips symbolize the thirteen 
original states, and the stars stand for the states now in 
the Union. The five pointed star is used, it is said at 
Betsey Ross's suggestion. This five pointed star is the 
seal of King Solomon, and the sign of infinity. Even 
the colors of the flag mean something: red stands for 
valor, blue for justice, and white for purity. 

Pledge of Allegiance 

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, AND TO THE RE- 
PUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION INDIVISIBLE, 
WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. 

When you pledge your allegiance make the full salute, 
keeping the hand at the brow until you say " flag," when 
you extend the hand, still in the salute position, palm up, 
pointing toward the flag. Hold the hand out thus un- 
til the end of the pledge. 

How to Fly the Flag and Show Respect to It 

i. The flag should not be hoisted before sunrise nor 
allowed to remain up after sunset. 

2. At retreat, sunset, civilian spectators should stand 

at attention, Scouts may give their salute. 

3. When the national colors are passing on parade or 

review the spectators should if walking, halt, and 
if sitting, rise and stand at attention and uncover. 






KNOTS 



75 



4. When the flag is flown at half-mast as a sign of 

mourning it should be hoisted to full staff at the 
conclusion of the funeral. In placing the flag 
at half-mast, it should first be hoisted to the top 
of the staff and then be lowered to position. 
Preliminary to lowering from half-mast it should 
first be raised to top. 

5. On Memorial Day, May 30th, the flag should fly at 

half-mast from sunrise till noon, and at full mast 
from noon to sunset. 

6. The flag at half-mast is a sign of mourning. 

7. The flag flown upside down is a signal of distress. 

8. No national flag is ever hung above the flag of an- 

other nation. When the flags of two or more 
nations are displayed they should be on separate 
staffs or on separate halyards, and on the same 
level. In America the Stars and Stripes are 
always given the place of honor on the right. 

9. An old torn or soiled flag should be destroyed 

privately and respectfully, preferably by burn- 
ing. 

E. KNOTS AND HOW TO TIE THEM 




1. The Reef Knot, for tying two 
ropes together. Being a flat knot, it 
is much used in ambulance work. 
The best simple knot, as it will not 
slip and is easy to untie. 




2. Sheet Bend, for tying two 
rope-ends together. Make loop A B 
with one rope and pass rope-end C 
through and round whole loop and 
bend it under its own standing part. 



76 



SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 




3. Half Hitch, made by passing 
rope-end round standing part and be- 
hind itself. If free end is turned 
back and forms a loop, the hitch can 
be easily loosened. A double half 
hitch is required to make a secure 
knot. 



^^ 




4. The Sheep Shank, for short- 
ening ropes. Gather up the amount 
to be shortened as in first illustra- 
tion Then with parts A and B make 
a half hitch round each of the bends, 
as in finished drawing. 




5. The Bowline, a loop that will 
not slip, to tie round a person being 
lowered from a building, etc. Form 
a loop, then in the standing part 
form a second and smaller loop. 
Through this pass the end of the 
large loop and behind the standing 
part and down through the small 
loop. 




7. Fisherman's Knot, used to tie 
two lines or ropes of different sizes 
together. A knot quickly made, 
and is easy to undo, the ends being 
simply pulled apart. 




6. Clove Hitch, for fastening a 
rope to a pole. Either end will 
stand a strain without slipping, 
either lengthways or downwards. 




8. Middleman's Knot. Made in 
similar fashion to fisherman's knot. 
This loop will not slip when knots 
are drawn together, and can safely 
be used as a halter. 



While making your knots S.T. 



KNOTS 77 

Knots 

Strings or ropes are used almost daily by every one 
in some form or other, and yet people often break their 
nails and teeth gnawing at their own knots to untie them. 
Time spent in learning a few simple reliable knots is 
not time wasted, but quite the contrary. 

To tie a knot seems a very simple thing and yet there 
are right and wrong ways of doing it, and Scouts ought 
to know the right way. For sometimes even lives de- 
pend on a knot being properly tied, as with sailors or 
men in building trades, and in case of fire-rescue. 

The right kind of a knot is one which you can tie 
easily and be certain it will hold under any normal strain, 
and which you can easily undo. 

A bad knot called a " granny " is one which slips when 
you pull hard, or which gets jammed so tight that you 
cannot untie it. 

Of course there are several ways of tying the same 
knot, and so if your sailor uncle can show you a good 
way to make a bowline don't tell him the one in this 
book is the only way. 

The Parts of a Rope 

The End. 

The Bight or Loop, formed by turning the rope back 
on itself. 

The Standing Part, or long portion of the rope. 



78 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Whipping 

Rope ends that ravel are annoying and before work- 
ing your scout rope too hard in practicing all these knots 
it is a good plan to whip the ends. 

This is how you do it. Hold the rope end in your right 
hand. Take about 10 inches of twine, make a loop and 
lay it parallel on the rope so that the end of the twine 
extends about two inches beyond the end of the rope. 
Hold it firmly and with your left hand wind the standing 
part of your twine around your rope neatly up toward 
your right thumb. When you have bound the twine loop 
on to the rope for say an inch, then tuck your winding 
end through the loop, pull both ends of the twine, and 
cut them ofif close to the rope. 

Now you are ready to work. There are two simple 
devices which will help you to learn the knots in the 
Tenderfoot test more easily, so it is well to master them 
first. 

One is the 

Overhand Knot 

which is the very easiest of all to make. It is the first 
half of the square knot, and is a part of many other 
knots. 

Back the end around the standing part and through 
the bight and draw tight. 

The other is the 



RUNNING NOOSE 79 

Running Noose 

If you hang out some clothes on the line when there 
is a thunderstorm in the air, it will be well to tie up 
your clothes line with a slip knot at each end, as clothes 
and all can be taken down in a hurry. A slip knot 
made in one end of your cord, can be useful when you 
want to tie up a big parcel, for you can get a good " pur- 
chase " on the cord ; it is also good in hitching a horse 
to a post. 

Make a bight. Put your thumb and finger through 
it and pull up a loop of the free end of the rope. 

Reef or Square Knot 

The square knot (or reef knot) is the best simple all 
round knot, as it will not slip or jam and is easily un- 
tied. It is the safest knot to tie your parcels with when 
mailing them. It is also used to join two ropes, mend 
the clothes line, and for a hundred other uses. It is 
called a reef knot because it is used to reduce the size 
of a sail on a boat. As it is flat it is much used in First 
Aid, for tying a sling or triangular bandage. 

Take an end of rope in each hand. Cross right end 
over the left and twist; then the same end (which is 
now in your left hand) over the other end, and twist 
again. Then pull the standing parts. 

If you are left-handed, of course you would naturally 
first put your left end over your right. The thing to 
remember in tying a square knot is that the ends must 
alternate ; otherwise you get a " granny," or " lubber's " 
knot. 



80 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Sheet Bend 

The Sheet Bend (or Weaver's knot) is good to use 
when you want to join a thick line to a thin one, or at- 
tach a rope to a loop or ring. They use this knot on 
steamboats when the big hawser can't be thrown on 
shore, but a light line can be attached and easily thrown 
to the dock. It is a good knot for Scouts to use when 
making a guard line to keep back crowds, at a rally for 
instance. With this knot you can join your wool when 
knitting, and it is an excellent way to attach a fly to a 
fishing line. 

A 

Make a loop B with one rope; pass the end, C, 
of your other rope through this loop, round both sides 
of the loop and down under its own standing part. Pull 
firmly. 

Clove Hitch (or Builder's Knot) 

The clove hitch is used when fastening two poles to- 
gether as in scaffolding, as either end will stand a strain 
without slipping either lengthwise or downwards. It is 
also used to tie a boat to a stake, or in First Aid to tie on 
a split. 

Pass the end around the post, below the standing part ; 
around the post again, over the standing part, and tuck 
it down between the standing part and the turn. 



BOWLINE 81 

Half Hitch 

The half hitch is a very useful thing to know. It is 
not really a knot, but a loop used in tying many of the 
harder knots. A double half hitch is needed to make a 
secure knot and is used for fastening awning ropes, flag 
rope, etc. The more it is strained the faster it holds. It 
is a simple way of making a rope fast in a hurry, where a 
long continued strain is not expected, thus it is used in 
tying a boat's painter, which is not a man but a rope 
fastened to the bow of a small boat. 

Bowline 

A Bowline makes a noose that is permanent, neither 
jamming nor slipping. It is useful in hoisting and lower- 
ing, as in case of fire, rescuing from drowning, a painter's 
chair, etc. It is also used in a guard line, as a halter 
for animals, or wherever a safe loop is needed. 

Take end in right hand : measure with your left suffi- 
cient rope for the loop you want; make a bight in your 
left hand and hold it. Now take the end of the rope in 
your right hand, put it up through the bight, round the 
standing part, and down through the bight again : pulling 
the end and both sides of your permanent loop with the 
right hand against the standing part in your left hand; 
(three against one). 

Sheepshank 

A scout would not waste a rope by cutting it but would 
shorten it by making a sheepshank. This will stand a 



82 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

great strain without slipping, but will loosen when held 
slack. 

Lay the rope out straight. Cross your hands and take 
hold of the rope. Take up the slack by drawing your 
hands past each other. Hold the three parts of the 
rope between the loop and the end, and put it over the 
loop, leaving sufficient loop sticking out so the half hitch 
won't slip off it ; then pull. Do the same at the other end. 
and put it over the loop, leaving sufficient loop stick- 
ing out so the half hitch won't slip off it; then pull. 
It can be untied by a quick jerk of the outside ropes form- 
ing the bights. To shorten a rope permanently this way, 
pass the ends through the loops, and the knot will hold 
for any length of time. 

Fisherman's Knot 

This knot is used to tie two unequal thicknesses of 
rope. It gets its name from the fact that it is always 
employed in joining silkworm gut for fishing purposes. 

Lay the two ropes parallel, the ends pointing different 
ways. Tie an overhand knot on rope one with the end 
of rope two, and then tie an overhand knot on rope two 
with the end of rope one. Now pull the standing parts 
and the knots will jam against each other and remain 
firm. To untie, pull the short ends apart, and then 
loosen. 

When a girl has passed her Tenderfoot test, she is 
ready to become a full-fledged Scout. She pays to Head- 
quarters her registration fee, 25 cents, and receives the 



DRILL AND EXERCISE 83 

registration card which is a sort of certificate of mem- 
bership and shows that her name is registered at Head- 
quarters. Now she is entitled to wear the uniform. And 
more than all, she makes her Scout promise solemnly be- 
fore the troop, and thus becomes one of the Scout sister- 
hood. This is not an appropriate occasion on which to 
admit the public, or to make any great show or fuss. 

F. DRILL AND EXERCISE 

Scouts learn drill to enable them to be moved quickly 
from one point to another in good order. Drill also sets 
them up, and makes them smart and quick. 

It strengthens the muscles which support the body, and 
by keeping the body upright the lungs and heart get plenty 
of room to work, and the inside organs are kept in the 
proper position for good digestion of food, and so on. A 
slouching position, on the other hand, depresses all the 
organs, and prevents them doing their work properly, so 
that a stooping person is generally weak and often ill. 
Growing girls are very apt to slouch, and should there- 
fore do all they can to get out of the habit by plenty of 
physical exercises and drill. 

Stand upright when you are standing, and when you 
are sitting down sit upright, with your back well into 
the back part of the chair. 

On the word " Alert," the Scout stands upright with 
both feet together, hands hanging naturally at the sides, 
fingers straight, and looking straight to her front. 



84 



SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 



A Scout will never build up a healthy, sound body if 
she is not prudent about her health. Elder girls can 
easily help the younger ones by leading them to tell of 
their state, and should urge them not to go long marches 
if they are not fit, or allow their feet to remain damp 
or cold at such times, as it is very bad for them. They 




" Growing girls are very apt to slouch." 

may not feel it at the time, but it may lead to illnesses 
years afterwards. It is their duty to promote their 
health and to nurse it into a good sound condition, which 
will make them hardy in after life. 

Scout Setting Up Exercises 
I. Positions 

i. Standing: Feet parallel, few inches apart. Stand 



SCOUT SETTING UP EXERCISES 85 

erect, top of head high (note: top of head is above ears. 
Forehead is not the top), chin parellel with floor, arms 
easy at side. The ears, shoulders, hips and ankles 
should be in a straight line, weight over ankles. 

2. Sitting: Keep back straight in sitting, lower back 
against the back of the chair, and feet on the floor. 
Note : Arm stretch positions named in exercises 

— downward straight at sides. 

— upward close to ears. 

— sideward on shoulder level. 

— forward at shoulder level. 

When doing exercises, remember always to keep good 
standing position. Execute the exercises in brisk rhythm, 
without jerks. Repeat each several times, but not so 
much that it tires you. 

II. Breathing 

i. Arms from downward through forward, to upward 
stretch counting " one." Arms down counting " two." 
Take deep breath as arms go up, and breathe out as arms 
come down. 

2. Arms from downward through forward, to upward, 
counting " one," to side stretch, counting " two," taking 
full breath, accenting " two " with side stretch. Down 
to side counting " three." 

Count while doing these exercises, accent on " one!' 



86 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

III. Arms 

i. From downward to side stretch counting u one," re- 
turn to downward counting " two." 

2. From side to upward stretch counting " one " (look 
up), return to side, counting " two." 

3. From downward to forward stretch, counting 
"one" (don't slump), return to down, counting " two." 

4. From arms easy, at side, to down stretch, counting 
"one" (don't hump), return to arms easy, counting 
11 two." 

5. Arms easy, turn palms out, expanding chest and 
flattening shoulder blades, stretching down, counting 
" one," return to arms easy, counting M two." 

6. Elbows, on shoulder line, and bent, palms hori- 
zontal, tips of middle fingers together, thumb touching 
chest. Move elbows back, flattening shoulder blades, fin- 
ger tips separating (thumbs make a line outward on 
chest), counting " one," return, counting "two." 

7. From last position, elbows bent, stretch arms, side- 
ways, backwards, counting " one," return, counting 
u two." 

8. Arms upward stretch, close to ear, body bent con- 
tinuously side to side. (Do not twist.) 

IV. Legs 

(These exercises cannot be done in stiff shoes.) 

1. From good standing position, roll feet outward, 
weight on outside of feet, toes curled in, counting " one," 
return counting " two." 






SCOUT SETTING UP EXERCISES 87 

2. Alternate foot stretch. Foot stretch is done by 
raising the heel, bending the knee, the toes and ball of 
foot remaining on floor. Count " one," " two," one 
count for each foot. 

3. Alternate foot stretch, at same time bending the 
knee, of weight bearing leg, count as in ex. 2. Keep 
body straight, hips steady. 

4. Double knee bend (bend both knees, raising heels, 
keeping back straight). The knees should bend straight 
forward over the feet. Count " one " on bend, " two " 
on return. 

5. Alternate backward kick, bending at knee only, 
counting as in ex. 2. 

6. Same as exercise 5 in double quick time. (This is 
running in place.) 

7. Alternate front high knee bend, raising foot from 
floor. Count as in ex. 2. Keep body straight. 

8. Same as exercise 7, in double quick time. 

9. Deep double knee bend, raising heels from floor, 
bringing arms from downward to side stretch with the 
bend. (This helps to keep balance.) 

10. Arms upward stretch, body bent front, hands 
touching floor. 

V. From Lying Position 

1. Legs alternately upward stretch, making right angle 
with the body. 

2. Same exercise both legs together. 

3. Same as exercise 2, letting feet go back over head. 



88 



SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 



Note : The best time to take these exercises is before dressing 
in the morning or the last thing at night before going to bed. 
Corsets should never be worn during exercises where the arms 
are raised above the height of the shoulders. No matter how 
loose they may be, it causes actual injury. Keep watch and 
see that the feet remain parallel. The tendency with most peo- 
ple is for them to turn out. 

A New England farmer's wife was baking several 
kinds of pies for Thanksgiving. To distinguish them she 
marked some T. M. for " 'tis mince " and the rest she 
marked T. M. for *' 'tain't mince." When you are read- 
ing this book you will now and then see two mysterious 
letters which you will promptly obey whether you are 
sitting or standing. They are the letters S. T. and they 
mean Sit Tall and Stand Tall. 




6 6 

Horseshoe Formation 



TENDERFOOT INVESTITURE 89 

Tenderfoot Investiture 

The Captain calls " Fall in." The troop is formed in 
a horse shoe, with the Captain and the Lieutenant in the 
gap. When ordered to come forward by the Captain 
the Patrol Leader brings the Tenderfoot to be invested 
to the center, where they stand facing the Captain. 

The Captain then asks : " Do you know what your 
honor means?" The Tenderfoot replies: " Yes, it 
means that I can be trusted to be truthful and honest " 
(or words to that effect). 

Captain : " Can I trust you on your honor to do your 
duty to God and to your country, to help other people at 
all times, and to obey the Scout Law." 

Tenderfoot : " On my honor I will try to do my duty 
to God and to my country, to help other people at all times, 
and to obey the Scout Law." 

The Captain then says : " I trust you, on your honor, 
to keep this promise." 

While the recruit is making her promises aloud, all 
the Scouts remember their own promises, and vow anew 
to keep them. 

The Captain orders : " Invest," — and pins on her tre- 
foil badge, explaining that it is her Scout's life. If, for 
misbehavior her trefoil or life has to be taken from 
her, she becomes a dead Scout for the time the Captain 
orders — a day or a week — and is in disgrace. The 
not feel it at the time, but it may lead to illnesses years 



go SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

badge may be worn at all times, but the uniform is worn 
only when the patrol meets. 

The new Scout is then initiated into the mysteries of 
the secret passwords, " Be Prepared " (said backwards), 
or " Little Friend of all the World." 

The Scout should salute the Captain, when she gives 
her her badge. 

The lieutenant hands the new Tenderfoot her registra- 
tion card, and her hat. (This part of the ceremony may 
be omitted if desired.) 

Captain orders : " About Face " — " Salute " — 

Tenderfoot faces the troop, who give her the full salute 
to welcome her into the troop, and then she and her 
Patrol Leader march back to their places. 

Now the Scout is a regular member of one of the 
Patrols in the troop. A Patrol is a group of six or eight 
Scouts who work together as comrades under a girl who 
is the Patrol Leader. The Leader has an assistant called 
a Corporal. All Scouts must obey the Leader and Cor- 
poral. 

Each troop is called after a bird or flower. When the 
Scouts first started troops they were only called after 
flowers but there were many girls who felt that though 
a flower is very pretty and gives out a sweet influence 
round it, it doesn't last long, nor does it " hustle around 
and do things " ; they wanted something more active as 
their emblem. So now a troop can choose which it likes, 
a bird, or a flower, or tree or shrub. 

The troop may have a flag, which has the number of the 



LIST OF TROOP CRESTS 



9i 




troop on it, and besides this each Pa- 
trol Leader may have a small flag,, ten 
inches deep, on a staff, with the crest 
of her troop in cloth stitched on to it 
on both sides. 

Each member of the troop wears 
an emblem badge sewn over her left pocket flap, and a 
shoulder knot of the colors chosen by her troop. 

Every Scout is expected to know all about the life his- 
tory of the emblem of her troop. If it is a flower, she 
should know what it looks like, when and where it 
blooms, and she should if possible grow it herself. If 
the emblem is a bird the Scout should know what it 
looks like, its call or song, its food, where to look for its 
nest, the color of its eggs and time of migration. 



BIRD. 

Robin. 

Swallow. 

Wren. 

Sparrow. 

Bantam. 

Canary. 

Thrush. 
Blackbird. 
Cardinal Bird. 
Mocking Bird. 



ATTRIBUTE. 

Brave and friendly. 

A quick home worker. 

Modest and plucky. 

Busy and home-loving. 

Plucky and strong. 

Makes sunshine in the 
house. 

Gives joy to all. 

Happy and helpful. 

Beautiful and lively. 

Courageous and sing- 
ing while he works. 



COLOR. 

Brown and red. 

Dark blue and white. 

Brown. 

Black and brown. 

Red and yellow. 

Yellow and white. 
Brown and yellow. 
Black and yellow. 
Rosy red. 

Greyish brown and 
white. 



List of Troop Crests Always Kept in Stock 



Sunflower. Pansy. 

Red Rose. Fuchsia. 

White Rose (Cherokee) Poppy. 
Oak. Narcissus. 



Jonquil. 

Holly Leaf and 

Berries. 
Red Clover. 



92 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 



Lily-of-the-Valley. 


Violet. 


Thistle. 


Daisy. 


Iris. 


Nasturtium. 


Goldenrod. 


Pink Carnation. 


Daffodil. 


Forget-me-not. 


Morning Glory. 


Dogwood. 


Lilac. 


Pink Wild Rose. 


Holly. 



A Cuckoo Patrol 

A jay is a showy, gaudy kind of bird and, like her 
bigger friend the peacock, has a rasping, raucous voice, 
and she eats other birds' eggs, and generally does more 
harm than good in the world. There are human jays and 
peacocks, but you won't find them among the Scouts. 
The English cuckoo is a curious bird of another kind. 
She makes herself out to look somewhat like a hawk, 
and somewhat like a dove, you don't know whether she 
is very bold or very peaceful; at any rate she lets you 
know that she's there. She uses her voice freely. But 
she's a lazy creature, does not bother to make a nest of 
her own, but goes and puts her eggs in other birds' nests 
— rather deceitful, because she often makes her eggs 
match those in the nest she is using — gives them all the 
trouble of bringing up her young ones. She leaves them 
and goes off South in July, before her offspring can fly 
with her. In fact, she is a fraud, she imitates others 
and blusters about a lot for a short time, but she does 
not do any real work. 

Sometimes there have been imitation Girl Scouts, who 
dressed themselves up in our uniform, gave themselves 
similar badges, made themselves unpleasantly conspicu- 
ous, but never really grasped the Scout spirit nor did the 
Scout work, and so they won for themselves the name of 
cuckoo. So don't belong to a cuckoo patrol. 



A CUCKOO PATROL 93 

If you are the Scout you ought to be, you will start 
to work to make your own patrol the best in the troop 
and to make yourself the best Scout in the patrol — for 
smartness, for efficiency, and for happiness. 



CHAPTER II 

The Second Class badge is a green trefoil embroidered 
on a tan background, and is worn on the left sleeve above 
the elbow. 

The occasion of awarding Second Class badges gives 
Scouts an opportunity to arrange a ceremony for them- 
selves following more or less the lines of the Tenderfoot 
investiture. 

SIGNALLING 

General Service Code 

The General Service Code, also called the Continental 
and the International Morse Code, is the code used by 
the Army and Navy, cables, wireless telegraphy, and all 
commercial communications except short distance tele- 
graphing, within the United States. Avoid the term In- 
ternational Morse as both these names apply to other 
codes. The International code is made up of flags each 
one of which stands for a letter or other signal, and the 
Morse is used of the American Morse or telegraph alpha- 
bet. There is Visual signalling by hand flag torches, 
lanterns, etc. ; and Sound signalling with buzzer, whistle, 
drum, etc. 

94 



SIGNALLING BY SINGLE FLAG 95 

Signalling by Single Flag, or Wig-wagging 

The flag used is square with a smaller square of an- 
other color in the center. It may be either white with 
the smaller square red, or red with white. A good size 
for Girl Scouts to use is 24 inches square with the center 
8 inches square, and the pole 42 inches long. 

There are but three motions to make with the flag, and 
all start from position, which means that the signaller 
stands erect facing the person with whom she is com- 
municating holding the flag perpendicularly in front of 
her. 

Dot. — To make a dot, swing the flag down to the right 
and bring it back to Position. 

Dash. — To make a dash, swing the flag down to the 
left, and bring it back again to Position. 

Front. — The third motion is front, made by swinging 
the flag down directly in front and returning to Position. 

In order to keep the flag from " fouling " when making 
the motions, make, by a turn of the wrist, a sort of figure 
8 with the end of the staff, as shown in the picture. 

In learning signalling try to master these motions first ; 
then it is easy to put them together in letters. Make no 
pause between dots or dashes in a single letter, but have 
a continuous motion. 

Indicate the end of a Letter by a distinct pause at 
Position. 

Indicate the end of a Word by one Front. 

Indicate the end of a Sentence by two Fronts. 

Indicate the end of a Message by three Fronts. 



96 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Many Scouts have found it easier to learn the mo- 
tions required in flag signalling with a light stick about 
18 or 24 inches long; you will be surprised to see how 
simple it is to handle a flag, when the motions have been 
mastered with a stick. 

Don't try for speed. Accuracy is the most important 
thing, for unless the letters are accurately made they 
may be confused and your message will be read as some- 
thing quite different from what you intended. Fall into 
a regular easy rhythm. Speed will come with practice. 
When signalling a message go slowly enough for the 
receiver to read it. 

Semaphore 

The " Semaphore " is really a machine, with two arms 
which may be moved into various positions to indicate 
letters. It is especially used on railroads. The sema- 
phore code may also be employed by a person using two 
flags. It is the quickest method of flag signalling but is 
only available for comparatively short distances, seldom 
over a mile, unless extra large flags are used, or there 
are some extraordinary conditions of backgrounds, at- 
mosphere, etcetera. 

The semaphore code is not adapted to all sorts of uses 
as is the general service code, but for very quick com- 
munications over short distances it is most useful. 

The regulation Semaphore flag is 18 inches square, 
divided diagonally into two triangles, a red and a white, 
with the red one fastened to a staff which is 24 inches 
long. The staff must be carefully held, to move in one 






SIGNALLING WITH A LANTERN 97 

piece with the arm, as a " break " at the wrist would make 
an entirely different angle. 

Pass the arms smoothly from one letter to another. 
Don't let them " flop " about between letters. Hold each 
letter long enough so that it is distinct. At the end of a 
word make " Interval " hands crossed downward in front 
of body, right over left. Indicate the end of the sen- 
tence by one " chop-chop " — made by placing both arms 
at the right, horizontal, and moving them up and down 
in cutting motion. Indicate end of the message by three 
" chop-chops." While signalling maintain fixed position, 
head upright. 

Be accurate in making the letters. It is the angle be- 
tween your arms that counts. Speed will soon come with 
practice. Don't look in a mirror, or you will get it all 
backwards. 

Signalling with a Lantern 

The motions used in signalling with a lantern are very 
like those with the single flag. For Position, hold a 
lantern directly in front of you; for a dot swing it to 
the right and back; for a dash swing it to the left and 
back; and for Front move it up and down in a vertical 
line, directly in front of you. You should have a sta- 
tionary light, in front of your feet, as a point of reference 
for the various motions. 

Signalling with a Flash Light 
Use a short flash for a dot, and a long steady flash for 
dash. Pause between letters, longer pause between 
words, still longer at end of sentence. 



98 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Signalling by Sound 

Whistle : — Use a short blast for a dot, and a long 
steady blast for a dash. Indicate the end of a letter 
by a short pause, end of word by a longer pause, and the 
end of a sentence by a still longer pause. 

On the telegraph instrument the dot makes one dis- 
tinct click. The dash a double click. Try and you will 
see. Practice tapping with a pencil, a stick or even your 
fingers, to make the ear familiar with the sound; single 
tap for a dot, double for a dash. 

The code must be absolutely mastered so that you know 
a letter the minute you see it. Counting off dots and 
dashes, is a sign of a beginner who doesn't yet know her 
code. It is a bad plan to try to learn code by writing 
it out. You never use it written, and you should learn 
it as you are going to use it with flags, lights or sounds. 

From the very first, practice reading as well as sending. 
It is harder to do, and requires more practice. 

If another Scout facing you will signal the same letter 
at the same time you are signalling to her, then you read 
and send that letter simultaneously and thus recognize 
the letter when receiving a message. 

You will find it a curious fact that it is easier to learn 
the letters by signalling them in words and messages, than 
by trying to master them singly, in their order in the 
alphabet. 

A good way to learn the general service code is this. 
Learn first the four letters made all of dots, and then 
the three made all of dashes. 



SIGNALLING BY SOUND 99 

E . 

I .. T - 

S ... M — 

H .... O 

Fix these in your mind by using them in words like — 
to, she, some, time, etc. Then take the words " Girl 
Scouts " and learn them. With the new letters in these 
added to the dot and dash letters you can make any num- 
ber of words, — stone, lost, curl, etc. To these add " Be 
Prepared," " Come quickly/' " Joyful Scouts never are 
lazy " and now you can signal all the Scout laws, and 
you know all the letters of the alphabet except w, x and z. 
You may learn these separately or in " Buzzing bees make 
wax." 

The semaphore code may be learned in the same way, 
and Scouts can easily make up other sentences on the same 
principle, to suit the semaphore code. 

Games. — There are a great many games which will 
give practice in the signalling tests and the signs. Per- 
haps a simple one to start with is " Follozv the Trail/' 

A party of cowboys are to start off for a long journey 
across the prairie. They are expecting a party of their 
mates to follow them in a week's time. So they agree 
to make scout signs and leave messages all the way. The 
Scouts, having divided into two parties, one starts away 
across the fields and woods — preferably along a path or 
track. They make arrows pointing in the direction they 
are following, either on the ground or on fences or stones. 
They hide messages, written on paper or on white stones 



ioo SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

or pieces of wood, saying how they are getting on ; where 
water may be found; or warning their pals of various 
dangers. " Don't follow this road," (X) is also made 
when necessary. Meanwhile the second party of Scouts 
start (having given the cowboys ten minutes' start) not 
as the expected friends, but as a party of Indians, who 
have picked up the trail and are hot on the track of the 
" palefaces." They follow, destroying all the cowboys' 
tracks and signs, and reading their messages. Indian 
scouts may be sent on, singly (fast runners) to recon- 
noitre, and report on the number and deportment of the 
cowboys. But the Indian scout does this at her own peril. 
If she is seen by the palefaces she becomes their prisoner, 
and must go on with them. (Any cowboy seeing an 
enemy scout calls out her name, whereupon the Indian 
must play fair and surrender.) The palefaces eventually 
run short of provisions, at the end of a half a mile (or 
more) and are obliged to halt. Believing Indians to be 
following them, they take cover. The Indians, finding 
that the trail has come to an end, search for the cowboys 
{seeing and calling out the name being equal to killing), 
but any paleface who manages to creep out of her cover 
and touch an Indian before she is seen herself kills her 
(puts her out of action). The game is won by the party 
having the largest number of survivors when the Captain 
blows her whistle. 

A game by which reading Morse may be practised is as 
follows : 

About twelve Scouts can play at it. The Scouts each 
choose a lettter of the alphabet. This (printed large in 



SIGNALLING BY SOUND 101 

ink on a card) is pinned on her chest. Each then is al- 
lotted a place to stand, in a field or open space (her dis- 
tance away can be arranged by the Captain to suit the 
capability of the Scout). The Captain stands so that 
the Scouts are before her in a large semicircle, and all can 
see her. Her object is to signal in Morse and move the 
Scouts — two changing places (as in the game of " Gen- 
eral Post"). If she sends A, P, — A and P each start 
forward, and run across the field, taking up each other's 
positions. This means that every Scout must have her 
eyes fixed very attentively on the Captain. Each Scout 
has five "lives." If she starts forward when her letter 
has not been sent she loses one " life " : if she fails to start 
before the Captain has counted six from signalling the 
second letter, she loses a life. At the end of a given time, 
Scouts who have lost least lives are considered the win- 
ners. Of course all speaking must be strictly forbidden 
during this game. The Captain must arrange to give each 
Scout an equal number of chances to move. It should not 
be played too long at a time. More than twelve should 
not play, or the letters cannot each be sent often enough 
to keep up the interest. This game teaches the Scouts 
to read Semaphore, and also absolute concentration and 
alertness. (Notice that this concentration is not an undue 
strain, as it is relaxed while the two Scouts are running 
across to change places.) If the Leaders are sufficiently 
good signallers they may be allowed to do the sending, 
the Captain acting as umpire and scorer. 

It is difficult to describe any 'actual games which will 
incorporate signals by smoke, sound, movement, etc. But 



102 



SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 



picnics and outings in the country may be treated as one 
great " make believe. " The party becomes a band of 
marooned sailors, an exploring expedition, survivors from 
a torpedoed ship, or nurses on the battlefield, and the 
picnic turns into a bivouac, the fire being used to send 
smoke signals (either to another pack or to a party sent 
out for this purpose). All communications with this 
party should be carried on by signal — flag, whistle, etc. 




Survivors from a torpedoed ship. 

For simple practice of the sound and movement signals 
the Scouts should be scattered over a field, while the Cap- 
tain gives the signal, which is to be obeyed promptly. 
She should watch carefully, and might call out the name 
(or number) of the Scout last in obeying the order. This 
will make for alertness. It would be a good plan to 
arrange some " as you were " signal, to give after each 
command has been obeyed (say, two sharp notes). 



WOODCRAFT 103 

WOODCRAFT: OR, KNOWLEDGE OF 
ANIMALS AND NATURE 

Habits of Animals. — If you live in the country it is, of 
course quite easy to observe and watch the habits of all 
sorts of animals great and small. But if you are in a 
town there are many difficulties to be met with. But at 
the same time if you can keep pets of any kind, rabbits, 
rats, mice, dogs or ponies you can observe and watch 
their habits and learn to understand them well ; but gen- 
erally for Scouts it is more easy to watch birds, because 
you see them both in town and country; and especially 
when you go into camp or on walking tours you can ob- 




Training young ones to fly. 

serve and watch their habits, especially in the spring- 
time. 

Then it is that you see the old birds making their nests, 
hatching out their eggs and bringing up their young ; and 
that is of course the most interesting time for watching 
them. A good observant scout will get to know the differ- 



104 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

ent kinds of birds by their cry, by their appearance, and 
by their way of flying. She will also get to know where 
their nests are to be found, what sort of nests they are, 
what are the colors of the eggs and so on. And also how 
the young appear. Some of them come out fluffy, others 
covered with feathers, others with very little on at all. 
The young pigeon, for instance, has not feathers at all, 
whereas a young moorhen can swim about as soon as it 
comes out of the egg; while chickens run about and hunt 
flies within a few minutes ; and yet a sparrow is quite use- 
less for some days and is blind, and has to be fed and 
coddled by his parents. 

Then it is an interesting sight to see the old birds train- 
ing their young ones to fly by getting up above them and 
flapping their wings a few times until all the young ones 
imitate them. Then they hop from one twig to another, 
still flapping their wings, and the young ones follow suit 
and begin to find that their wings help them to balance ; 
and finally they jump from one branch to another for 
some distance so that the wings support them in their 
effort. The young ones very soon find that they are able 
to use their wings for flying, but it is all done by degrees 
and by careful instruction. 

If you think there is no natural history or observation 
of bird life possible in the city, get hold of that delightful 
book " Lives of the Hunted," by Ernest Seton Thompson. 
There you will find a ripping story of Randy and Biddy, 
the two sparrows, who built a nest between them after 
wonderful differences of opinion. Randy started to make 
it of sticks, and Biddy almost declined to live with him in 



WOODCRAFT 105 

consequence, so he carefully pulled every stick out and 
dropped them on the pavement and gave in to her prefer- 
ring for hay and straw. Then they used string. But 
when she brought feathers he drew the line and argued 
the point. However, the story should be read to be en- 
joyed as it stands in that book. 

Then a large number of our birds do not live all the 
year round in England, but they go off to Southern climes 
such as Africa when the winter comes on. In September 
you will see the migrating birds collecting to go away, the 
starlings in their crowds and the swallows for the South, 
and the warblers, the flycatchers, and the swifts. And yet 
about the same time the large are arriving, so there is a 
good deal of travelling to and from among the birds in the 
air at all times of the year. 

How to draw. — By the way, talking of birds, every 
Scout ought to be able to draw one. 

First, of course, you lay the egg. Then put a watch on 
it, with the second dial to show the time. But before you 
put in the hands it becomes a bird. Then you add the 
outline, thus : — 







106 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Try it yourself. It is quite easy. 

Reptiles. — There is a lot of interest to be got out of 
watching reptiles, such as frogs, which begin as tadpoles, 
eating weeds, and gradually lose their tails and gills, 
which they begin with, and end up as frogs, eating worms 
anl slugs as food. 

Insects. — Insects, too, are very interesting little people 
when you get to know their ways and habits. Among 
them you can generally find moths, ants, gnats, butterflies, 
bees, beetles, ladybirds, and all such. Though most girls 
do not care very much about them, Scouts who have 
studied them get to like them, even spiders and daddy- 
longlegs, and to take a close interest in them. 

Caddis worms, for instance, build the most beautiful 
houses of mosaic work, all formed of tiny stones and bits 
of shell glued on to a silken lining which the caddis 
worms make themselves. 

The caddis worm has extraordinary jaws which he can 
fold up when they are in the way, and he can also push 
himself along in the water by squirting out a strong jet 
of water all round him. A caddis worm is really only the 
larva of a large sort of dragon fly ; so when he wants to 
change into a winged insect, he cleverly spins a silken 
door across each end of his tubular house, and fixes it on 
to the stalk of a plant near the water. Then he waits till 
his wings have grown, and at last he crawls out and runs 
up the plant out of the water, and flies away into the sun- 
shine. 

Butterfly-hunting is a most exciting pastime. You go 
out with your net and your box, and chase the pretty 



WOODCRAFT 



107 



creatures over field and swamp, and hedge and ditch. If 
possible, try not to spoil the wings, and then keep them 
alive in a cage or a greenhouse. You can keep the eggs 
they lay, and bring up a large family for next year. You 
can make your own net if you buy a yard of stout wire, 
and bend it round, and bind the ends tightly and neatly 
to a cane or stick. 

Make your net long enough to hang across the wire, 
when your butterfly is caught, thus : — 




Examine the wings carefully with a magnifying glass, 
as the tiny scarlet and yellow feathers are easily rubbed 
off and spoilt, especially if the creature flutter about. 

Personally I don't use a net ; I catch them by drawing 
their portraits in my sketch-book. It saves a lot of 
trouble to them and to me. 

Trees. — Then Scouts should know all about the differ- 
ent trees in their country and know their names by their 
appearance in summer and also in winter ; and what they 
are good for, and what their leaves are like and their 
flower or their fruit as the case may be. It helps you 
very much in camp to know what kind of wood burns well, 
such as pine wood or sugar bush or gum tree. Also which 
kinds of wood are best for carving, for making walking 
sticks, for painting on. 



108 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

The common trees which a Scout should know by 
sight are : 



Oak 


Poplar 


Holly 


Beech 


Elm 


Pine 


Horse 


Birch 


Plane 


Sycamore 


Chestnut 


Spanish 


Cedar 


Larch 


Ash 


Chestnut 


Fir 


Willow 


Lime 


Walnut 



Flozvers. — Flowers, of course, interest girls as much as 
any kind of plant, because they are easily cultivated, and 
every Scout ought to know the names of most of the 
common flowers and to understand how they live and how 
they ought to be treated; when to plant them and when 
to expect them coming up ; and how they produce their 
seed and how they send it about and re-plant themselves 
in different parts near them. 

For instance, if you have a magnifying glass you can 
examine a dandelion seed with it. Few things are more 
beautiful. It is much the same as a thistle seed, tucked 
away cleverly till it is ripe, and it all opens into a delicate 
feathery kind of parachute each carrying a seed. This 
blows about with the wind many miles before it actually 
falls to the ground and there sows itself. 

Most flowers seem to have the wish to scatter their seed 
far away from them. Even the modest little violet sows 
its seed out of a little boat-shaped pod with great force and 
a loud report to a distance of some three feet ; and so 
does the iris, the pansy, the wall-flower, and many others. 
Many flowers and plants produce berries and fruits which 
are good to eat, others produce those that are poisonous ; 
and a Scout should know which are which, since when you 




Ash. 



Spanish Chestnut. 
109 



no SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

are in camp some of them may come in very useful, 
whereas others which look tempting to eat may cause you 
a great deal of trouble and illness. 



b x 



Eatable Plants 

But especially you ought to know what kind of plants 
are useful to you in providing you with food. Suppos- 
ing you were out in a jungle without any food, as very 
often happens ; if you knew nothing about plants you 
would probably die of starvation, or of poisoning, from 
not knowing which fruit or roots were wholesome and 
which dangerous to eat. 

There are numbers of berries, nuts, roots, barks, and 
leaves that are good to eat. 

The same with crops of different kinds of corn and 
seed, vegetable roots, and even grasses and vetches. Sea- 
weed is much eaten in Ireland and Scotland. Such as 
laver, sloke, dulse, ulva, etc. 

No less than fifteen kinds of fungi (that's the plural of 
fungus!), or mushrooms, are good to eat if you can only 
tell them from the poisonous kinds. 

Dandelions, nettles, rose berries, bracken roots, lime 
buds, and many other common plants make useful foods. 

But you have to know which is which when you see 
them, and then know how to cook or prepare them. 

Woodland cooking is great fun when you care to do it. 

Nature Study in Towns 

Many people seem to think that you cannot get Nature 
study unless you are out in the fields or woods studying 



NATURE STUDY IN TOWNS in 

the animals or noticing the plants, but you can do a great 
deal in town and even in your own room with others, or 
even by yourself. 

For one thing, just think of the wonder of your own 
eye if you study it in the glass, and the delicacy of its con- 
struction ; how it is like a bubble which a very slight blow 
would destroy altogether. Then from the eye go the 
nerves carrying back what it has seen of visible things to 
the brain, where the thoughts which are invisible take it 
over, the thought then gives the desire or the power to 
move. That is to say, your eyes show you something 
on the table and the invisible thought comes in your mind 
that you would like to catch hold of it, and the thought 
then makes the material sinews of your arm get to work 
and grasp it. 

You cannot see your thought, but you know it is there, 
and you see the result of your thought when you grasp 
the thing. In the same way God is not visible, but all 
the same he is there, and you see the result w 7 hen you do a 
good act. Sometimes you don't do that good act, or you 
may do one that is not suggested by God. You may well 
feel ashamed when this happens and refuse to let your- 
self do it again. Therefore, try and think before doing a 
thing and ask yourself the question " Does God want me 
to do this? " If the reply in your mind says " Yes," then 
do it; and if it says " No," then don't do it It is not a 
difficult thing to live a straight and clean life if you only 
remember to think first and do after. 



ii2 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 



Stalking 



How to Hide Yourself. — When you want to observe 
wild animals you have to stalk them, that is, creep up to 
them without their seeing or smelling you. 

A hunter when he is stalking wild animals keeps him- 
self entirely hidden, so does the war scout when watching 
or looking for the enemy ; a policeman does not catch pick- 
pockets by standing about in uniform watching for them; 
he dresses like one of the crowd, and as often as not gazes 
into a shop window and sees all that goes on behind him 
reflected as if in a looking-glass. 

If a guilty person finds himself being watched, it puts 
him on his guard, while an innocent person becomes an- 
noyed. So, when you are observing people, don't do so 
by openly staring at them, but notice the details you want 
to at one glance or two, and if you want to study them 
more, walk behind them ; you can learn just as much from 
a back view, in fact more than you can from a front view, 
and, unless they are scouts and look round frequently, 
they do not know that you are observing them. 

War scouts and hunters stalking game always carry out 
two important things when they don't want to be seen. 

Background. — One is — they take care that the ground 
behind them, or trees, or buildings, etc., are of the same 
color as their clothes. 

And the other is — if an enemy or a deer is seen look- 
ing for them, they remain perfectly still without moving so 
long as he is there. 

" Freezing." — In that way a scout, even though he is 



TRACKING 113 

out in the open, will often escape being noticed. This is 
called by scouts " Freezing. " 

Tracking 

" Sign " is the word used by Scouts to mean any little 
details, such as footprints, broken twigs, trampled grass, 
scraps of food, old matches, etc. 

Any one of you might win the reward of $100 for 
tracing the writer of a typewritten paper which nearly 
caused the ruin of a large bank. It was noticed by signs 
that the writer must have used a Remington machine No. 
7, because of the shape of the letters. The type was much 
worn, therefore it is supposed the machine was four or 
five years old. Now, who bought one at that time? 
Then you could see that the letter " o " had a bent bar, 
the letter " r " had a faulty spring, and the top of the 
capital letter " C " was worn away. So you see that if 
you found a machine with all these faults you could trace 
the person who used it, from even such very small signs. 

Some native Indian trackers were following up the 
footprints of a panther that had killed and carried off a 
young kid. He had crossed a wide bare slab of rock, 
which, of course, gave no mark of his soft feet. The 
tracker went at once to the far side of the rock where it 
came to a sharp edge; he wetted his finger, and just 
passed it along the edge till he found a few kid's hairs 
sticking to it. This showed him where the panther had 
passed down off the rock, dragging the kid with him. 
Those few hairs were what Scouts call " sign." 

This tracker also found bears by noticing small " sign." 



H4 



SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 



On one occasion he noticed a fresh scratch in the bark of 
a tree, evidently made by a bear's claw, and on the other 
he found a single black hair sticking to the bark of a tree, 
which told him that a bear had rubbed against it. 

One of the most important things that a Scout has to 
learn is to let nothing escape her attention; she must notice 




A Scout should have her head screwed on the right way, not 
as in this picture. 

small points and signs, and then make out the meaning of 
them ; but it takes a good deal of practice before a tender- 
foot can get into the habit of really noting everything and 
letting nothing escape her eye. It can be learnt just as 
well in a town as in the country, provided that your 
head is screwed on the right way. 






TRACKING 115 

And in the same way you should notice any strange 
sound or any peculiar smell, and think for yourself what 
it may mean. Unless you learn to notice " sign " you 
will have very little of " this and that " to put together, 
and so you will be of no use as a Girl Scout. It comes 
by practice. Remember a Scout always considers it a 
great disgrace if an outsider discovers a thing before she 
herself does, whether that thing is far away or close by. 

Don't only look at the path before you, but frequently 
turn and look back. Notice the features of the country 
behind you, to see what your road will look like in com- 
ing back again. 

In the streets of a strange town a Girl Scout will mark 
her way by the principal buildings and side-streets, and in 
any case she will notice what shops she passes and what is 
in their windows ; also what vehicles pass her, and such 
details as whether the horses' harness and shoes are all 
right; and most especially what people she passes, what 
their faces are like, their dress, their boots, and their way 
of walking, so that if, for instance, she should be asked by 
a policeman, " Have you seen a man with dark overhang- 
ing eyebrows, dressed in a blue suit, going down this 
street ? " she should be able to give some such answer as 
" Yes ; he was walking a little lame with the right foot, 
wore foreign-looking boots, was carrying a parcel in his 
hand; he turned down Gold Street, the second turning 
on the left from here, about three minutes ago." 

Information of that kind has often been of the greatest 
value in tracing out a criminal, but so many people go 
along with their eyes shut and never notice things. 



n6 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Horses' Tracks 

Walking. 

3&C£ — *^> 



DO 



30 



JF*i-OK3| 



3?31 



Trotting. 





3° 3 D 30 

« r r — > 


o 


33 






Canter. 








OF. 


O.H N.H 




N.F. 


O.F. 


o? 


OJL-0j(?Hind t elc. 

Galloping. 




O? **0' 





oo 



DO 



3D 



OD DO 00 ©> OD 

Lame Horse Walking : Which leg is he lame in ? 
N.B.—The long feet are the hind feet. 

* v » ! t * 

"" * * 

A ^ *r Si 

*> *> ^ .v 



These are the tracks of two birds on the ground. One lives 

generally on the ground, the other in bushes and trees. 

Which track belongs to which bird? 



TRACKING 117 

Wheel tracks should also be studied till you can tell 
the difference between the track of a gun, a carriage, a 
country car, motor-car or a bicycle, and the direction they 
were going in. 

In the story of Kim, by Rudyard Kipling, there is an 
account of two boys being taught " observation," in order 
to become detectives by means of a game in which a 
trayful of small objects was shown to them for a minute 
and was then covered over, and they had to describe all 
the things on it from memory. 

We will have that game, as it is excellent practice for 
Scouts. 

Details of People.— It is of interest when you are trav- 
elling by train or tram to notice little things about your 
fellow-travellers — their faces, dress, way of talking, and 
so on — so that you could describe them each pretty accu- 
rately afterwards ; and also try and make out from their 
appearance and behavior whether they are rich or poor 
(which you can generally tell from their boots), and what 
is their probable business, whether they are happy, or ill, 
or in want of help. 

But in doing this you must not let them see you are 
watching them, else it puts them on their guard. 

Reading a Meaning in Sign. — It is said that you can 
tell a man's character from the way he wears his hat. 
If it is slightly on one side, the wearer is good-natured; if 
it is worn very much on one side, he is a swaggerer; if 
on the back of his head, he is bad at paying his debts ; if 
worn straight on the top, he is probably honest but very 
dull. 



n8 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

The way a man (or a woman) walks is often a good 
guide to his character — witness the fussy, swaggering 
little man paddling along with short steps and much arm- 
action ; the nervous man's hurried, jerky stride ; the slow 
slouch of the loafer; the smooth, quick, and silent step of 
the Scout, and so on. 




X 



j 



Judging character by the gait of a man. 

With a little practice in observation you can tell pretty 
accurately a man's character from his dress. 

How would you recognize that a gentleman was fond of 
fishing? If you see his left cufif with little tufts of cloth 
sticking up, you may be sure he fishes. When he takes 
his flies ofif the line he will either stick them into his cap 
to dry, or hook them into his sleeve. When dry he pulls 
them out, which often tears a thread or two of the 
cloth. 

It is surprising how much of the sole of the shoes you 
can see when behind a person walking — and it is equally 



TRACKING 119 

surprising how much meaning you can read from that 
shoe. It is said that to wear out soles and heels equally 
is to give evidence of business capacity and honesty ; to 
wear your heels down on the outside means that you are a 
person of imagination and love of adventure; but heels 
worn down on the inside signify weakness and indecision 
of character, and this last sign is more infallible in the 
case of man than in that of woman. 

Remember how " Sherlock Holmes " met a stranger 
and noticed that he was looking fairly well-to-do, in new 
clothes with a mourning band on his sleeve, with a 
soldierly bearing and a sailor's way of walking, sunburns, 
with tattoo marks on his hands, and he was carrying some 
children's toys in his hand. What would you have sup- 
posed that man to be? Well, Sherlock Holmes guessed 
correctly that he had lately retired from the Marines as a 
sergeant, that his wife had died, and that he had some 
small children at home. 

Details in the Country. — If you are in the country, you 
should notice landmarks — that is, objects which help you 
to find your way or prevent you getting lost — such as dis- 
tant hills and church towers; and nearer objects, such as 
peculiar buildings, trees, gates, rocks, etc. 

And remember in noticing such landmarks that you may 
want to use your knowledge of them some day for telling 
some one else how to find his way, so you must notice 
them pretty closely so as to be able to describe them un- 
mistakably and in their proper order. You must notice 
and remember every by-road and footpath. 

Remembrance of these things will help you to find 



120 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

your way by night or in fog when other people are losing 
themselves. 

Using your Eyes. — Let nothing be too small for your 
notice — a button, a match, a hair, a cigar ash, a feather, 
or a leaf might be of great importance, even a finger- 
print which is almost invisible to the naked eye has often 
been the means of detecting a crime. 

Not long ago a lady reported to the police that she was 
sitting in her room reading quietly in the corner when a 
ragged-looking man crept in at the open window, seized 
hold of a silver vase, and was in the act of making off 
with it when a sound outside disturbed him. 

He put down the vase again, ran away across the lawn, 
jumped a low hedge, and got away. 

Detectives came and examined the ground, but could 
find no footmarks even at the spot where the man had 
landed from his jump. Then they inspected the vase very 
carefully, and examined the fingers of the different people 
in the house. 

They then reported that nobody except the maid had 
handled the vase and that nobody had gone across the 
lawn or jumped the hedge. 

It was afterwards found that the lady was subject to 
delusions, and had imagined the v/hole thing, but the 
detectives had arrived at the same conclusion through 
examining the fingermarks and signs. 

When out in the country you must keep your eyes 
about you and not merely notice small signs close to you, 
but other signs far away as well — such as dust flying, 
birds startled, unnatural movements of bush or grass, 



TRACKING 121 

and also keep your ears open for sounds such as cracking 
of a twig, dogs suddenly barking and so on. 

The battle of Boomplatz, fought by the British against 
the Boers, was successful for us partly because Sir 
Harry Smith, the Commander, noticed some buck in 
the distance suddenly startled and running for no appar- 
ent reason, but his suspicions being aroused he sent scouts 
to investigate, and they found a Boer force trying to 
form an ambush for him, and he was able to defeat their 
aims in consequence. 

By night of course you must use your ears instead of 
your eyes and practice at this helps to make perfect. 

A trained Scout will see little signs and tracks, she puts 
them together in her mind, and quickly reads a meaning 
from them such as an untrained woman would never ar- 
rive at. 

And from frequent practice she gets to read the mean- 
ing at a glance, just as you do a book, without the delay 
of spelling out each word, letter by letter. 

I was one day, during the Matabele War [show on map] 
with a native out scouting near to the Matopo Hills over 
a wide grassy plain. Suddenly we crossed a track freshly 
made in grass, where the blades of grass were still green 
and damp, though pressed down; all were bending one 
way, which showed the direction in which the people had 
been travelling. Following up the track for a bit it got 
on to a patch of sand, and we then saw that it was the 
spoor of several women (small feet with straight edge, 
and short steps) and boys (small feet, curved edge, and 
longer strides), walking, not running, towards the hills, 



122 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

about five miles away, where we believed the enemy to be 
hiding-. 

Then we saw a leaf lying about ten yards off the track. 
There were no trees for miles, but we knew that trees hav- 
ing this kind of leaf grew at a village fifteen miles away, 
in the direction from which the footmarks were coming. 
It seemed likely therefore that the women had come 
from that village, bringing the leaf with them, and had 
gone to the hills. 

On picking up the leaf we found it was damp, and 
smelled of native beer. The short steps showed that the 
women were carrying loads. So we guessed that accord- 
ing to the custom they had been carrying pots of native 
beer on their heads, the mouths of the pots being stopped 
up with bunches of leaves. One of these leaves had fallen 
out ; but we found it ten yards off the track, which showed 
that at the time it fell a wind was blowing. There was 
no wind now, i. e., seven o'clock, but there had been some 
about five o'clock. 

So we guessed from all these little signs that a party 
of women and boys had brought beer during the night 
from the village 15 miles away, and had taken it to 
the enemy on the hills, arriving there soon after six 
o'clock. 

The men would probably start to drink the beer at 
once (as it goes sour in a few hours), and would, by the 
time we could get there, be getting sleepy and keeping a 
bad look-out, so we should have a favourable chance of 
looking at their position. 

We accordingly followed the women's track, found the 



GAMES IN STALKING 123 

enemy, made our observations, and got away with our 
information without any difficulty. 

And it was chiefly done on the evidence of that one 
leaf. So you see the importance of noticing even a little 
thing like that. *S 

Games in Stalking 

Girl Scout Hunting. — One Scout is given time to go 
out and hide herself, the remainder then start to find her ; 
she wins if she is not found, or if she can get back to the 
starting-point within a given time without being touched. 

Dispatch Running. — A Scout is told to bring a note to 
a certain spot or house from a distance within a given 
time : other hostile Scouts are told to prevent any mes- 
sage getting to this place, and to hide themselves at 
different points to stop the dispatch carrier getting in 
with it. 

To count as a capture, two Scouts must touch the dis- 
patch runner before she reaches the spot for delivering 
the message. 

Relay Race. — One patrol pitted against another to see 
who can get a message sent a long distance in shortest time 
by means of relays of runners or cyclists. The patrol is 
ordered out to send in three successive notes or tokens 
(such as sprigs of certain plants), from a point, say, two 
miles distant or more. The leader in taking her patrol 
out to the spot, drops Scouts at convenient distances, who 
will then act as runners from one post to the next and 
back. If relays are posted in pairs, messages can be 
passed both ways. 



124 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Stalking. — Captain acts as a deer — not hiding, but 
standing, moving a little now and then if she likes, 

Scouts go out to find, and each in her own way tries 
to get up to her unseen. 

Directly the Captain sees a Scout she directs her to 
stand up as having failed. After a certain time the Cap- 
tain calls " Time/' all stand up at the spot which they have 
reached, and the nearest wins. 

The same game may be played to test the Scouts in 
stepping lightly — the umpire being blindfolded. The 
practice should preferably be carried out where there are 
dry twigs lying about, and gravel, etc. The Scout may 
start to stalk the blind enemy at ioo yards' distance, and 
she must do it fairly fast — say, in one minute and a 
half — to touch the blind man before she hears her. 

Stalking and Reporting. — The umpire places herself 
out in the open and sends each Scout or pair of Scouts 
away in different directions about half a mile off. When 
she waves a flag, which is the signal to begin, they all 
hide, and then proceed to stalk her, creeping up and watch- 
ing all she does. When she waves the flag again, they 
rise, come in, and report each in turn all that she did, 
either by handing in a written report or verbally, as may 
be ordered. The umpire meantime has kept a look-out 
in each direction, and, every time she sees a Scout, she 
takes two points off that Scout's score. She, on her part, 
performs small actions, such as sitting down, kneeling up, 
looking through glasses, using handkerchief, taking hat 
off for a bit, walking round in a circle a few times, to 
give Scouts something to note and report about her. 



TRACKING 125 

Scouts are given three points for each act reported cor- 
rectly. It saves time if the umpire makes out a scoring 
card beforehand, giving the name of each Scout, and a 
number of columns showing each act of her, and what 
mark that Scout wins, also a column of deducted marks 
for exposing themselves. 

The " Spider and Fly " game as described in the Eng- 
lish book " Scouting for Boys " is also a proper one and 
useful for training in observation. 

Plant Race. — The Scouts start off either cycling or on 
foot, to go in any direction they like to get a specimen of 
any ordered plans, a horseshoe mark from a chestnut 
tree, a briar rose or something of the kind, whichever the 
Captain may order, such as will tax their knowledge of 
plants and will test their memory as to where they noticed 
one of the kind required, and will also make them quick 
in getting there and back. 

Leaf Trail. — It is supposed that a crime has been done, 
and in the search for the culprits who have hidden them- 
selves, the police w r ere helped in tracing the track by 
articles left behind them. The fugitives leave behind a 
dozen of certain leaves, such as oak, or chestnut or fir, 
laid in the order in which those trees come on the track. 
The trackers take note of these during the fifteen minutes 
start. The trackers must then follow wherever these 
trees are to be found, in the right order, until they can 
find the fugitives. Should they not be successful another 
day may be spent over it. 



126 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

House Hunting 

It is an interesting thing to take as the object of a walk 
the selection of a house where you would like to live. 
Notice the position, estimate the cost of rent, rates, taxes, 
etc., notice its garden and how you would utilise it, and, 
inside, what kind of wall-paper, etc., you would select 
so it would be homely and not merely for show, in good 
taste and not tawdry, airy and not stuffy with too many 
hangings, which will clean, and so on. Proximity to the 
necessary supply shops, doctor, telephone, post office, and 
so on should all be taken into consideration, and it is 
rather amusing to compare notes with the rest of your 
Patrol at the end of your expedition, and see how many 
got on the same house. 

Hints to Instructors 

Practices in Observation. — Instructor can take the 
finger-marks of each girl. Lightly rub the thumb on 
blacklead or on paper that is blackened zvith pencil, then 
press the thumb on paper and examine with magnifying 
glass. Show that no two people's prints are alike. 

In Towns. — Practice your girls first in walking down 
a street to notice the different kinds of shops as they 
pass, and to remember them in their proper sequence at 
the end. 

Then to notice and remember the names of the shops. 

Then to notice and remember the contents of a shop 
zi'indow after two minutes' gaze. Finally, to notice the 
contents of several shop windows in succession zvith half a 
minute at each. Give marks for the fullest list. 



HINTS TO INSTRUCTORS 127 

The Scouts must also notice prominent buildings as 
landmarks, and the number of turnings off the street they 
are using. 

In the Country. — Take the patrol out for a ivalk and 
teach the girls to notice distant prominent features such 
as hills, church steeples, and so on; and as nearer land- 
marks such things as peculiar buildings, trees, rocks, gates, 
by-roads or paths, nature of fences, crops, different kinds 
of trees, birds, animals, tracks, people, vehicles, etc. Also 
any peculiar smells of plants, animals, manure, etc.; 
whether gates or doors were open or shut, whether any 
smoke from chimney, etc. 

Send Scouts out in pairs. 

It adds to the value of the practice if the instructor, 
makes a certain number of small marks in the ground be- 
forehand, or leaves buttons or matches, etc., for the girls 
to notice or to pick up and bring in (as a means of making 
them examine the ground close to them as well as distant 
objects.) 

Practices in Natural History. — Take out Scouts to 
get specimens of leaves, fruits, or blossoms of various 
trees, shrubs, etc., and observe the shape and nature of the 
tree both in summer and in winter. 

Collect leaves of different trees; let Scouts make trac- 
ings of them and write the name of the tree on each. 

In the country make Scouts examine crops in all stages 
of their grozvth, so that they know pretty well by sight 
what kind of crop is coming up. 

Start gardens if possible; either a patrol garden or indi- 
vidual Scout gardens. Let them grow flowers and veg- 



128 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

etables for profit to pay for their equipment, etc. Show 
all the wild plants which may be made use of for food. 
Find yew trees; report if any good branches to make 
archers' bows of. 

Encourage the keeping of live pets, whether birds, ani- 
mals, reptiles, insects. Show how to keep illustrated 
diary-records of plants, insects, birds, etc., giving dates 
when seen for comparison following year and shoimng 
their peculiar markings, form, etc. 

If in a town take your Scouts to the Zoological Gar- 
dens, menagerie, or Natural History Museum, and show 
them particular animals on zvhich you are prepared to lec- 
ture. Not more than half a dozen for one visit. 

If in the country get farmer or shepherd to help zvith 
information on the habits of farm animals, e. g., how a 
cow lies down and when. Hozv to milk, stalk rabbits, 
water voles, trout, birds, etc., and watch their habits. 

The aim in your Nature study is to develop a realisation 
of God the Creator, and to infuse a sense of the beauty 
of Nature. 

CAMPCRAFT 

How to make a Fire. — You should learn how to lay and 
light a fire out of doors. 

Remember the usual fault of a " tender-pad." or begin- 
ner, is to try to make too big a fire. You will never see a 
backwoodsman do that — he uses the smallest possible 
amount of wood for his fire. 

First collect your firewood. Green, fresh-cut wood is 
no good, nor is dead wood that has lain long on the 



CAMPCRAFT 



129 



ground. Get permission to break off dead branches for 
it. 

To make your fire you put a few sticks flat on the 
ground, especially if the ground be damp. On this floor- 
ing lay your " punk " — that is, paper, shavings, inner 
skin of the bark of the tree, splinters, or any other ma- 
terial that will easily catch fire from your match. 




— Firewcod 

- — Kindtmtf 

FoundfcUion 



On this you pile, in pyramid fashion, thin twigs, splin- 
ters, and slithers of dry wood, leaning on the " punk " and 
against each other. These are called kindling. A few 
stouter sticks are added over them to make the fire. 

A good kind of kindling can easily be made by slitting a 
stick into several slices or shavings, as shown. This is 
called a firestick. 

If stood up, w T ith the shavings downwards towards the 
ground, it quickly catches light and flares up. 




.<>*- 



130 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Set light to this, putting your match under the bottom 
of the " punk." When the wood has really got on fire, 
add more and larger sticks, and finally logs, which should 
be placed star-shape, like spokes of a wheel. 

For a cooking fire you want to make lots of red-hot 
embers, so use sticks about half or three-quarters of an 
inch thick. 




For a signalling fire to make a flare at night use dry 
gorse, straw, or dry twigs in large quantities. 

For a smoke signalling fire use plenty of thin dry sticks 
and twigs to give burning flame, and add leaves and grass 
to make the smoke. 

Camping 

One of the ripping things about Girl Scout work is the 
camp life. You go out either to live in farm buildings, or 
in an empty house, or in tents. 

People talk of " roughing it " in tents, but those people 
are generally Tenderfoots. A wise Scout does not 
11 rough it " ; she knows how to look after herself and how 
to make herself comfortable by a hundred little dodges. 

For instance, if the tents have not turned up she doesn't 
sit down to shiver and grumble, but at once sets to work 
to rig up a shelter or hut for herself. She chooses a good 
spot for it where she is not likely to be flooded out if a 
rainstorm comes. 



CAMPING 



131 



Then she lights up a camp fire, cooks her food, and 
makes herself comfortable on her mattress of ferns or 
straw. 

But to do this she must, of course, have first learnt how 
to light a fire, how to prepare and cook her food, and 
how to weave a camp mattress, and so on, all of which 
she learns in her ordinary training as a Girl Scout. 




Camp cooking. 

In camp you learn to make all the different things you 
want, because there is not always a shop round the corner 
where you can go and buy them. 

The following are a few out of the many things that 
Scouts learn to do for themselves. 

In the Tent. — Scouts are always tidy, whether in camp 
or not, as a matter of habit. If you are not tidy at home, 
you won't be tidy in camp ; and if you're not tidy in camp, 
you will never be a thorough Scout. 

A Scout is tidy alike in her tent, bunk, or room, be- 
cause she may be suddenly called upon to go off on an 
alarm, or something unexpected ; and if she does not know 
exactly where to lay her hand on her things, she will be a 



132 



SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 



long time in turning out, especially if called up in the 
middle of the night. So on going to bed, even when at 
home, practise the habit of folding up your clothes and 
putting them where you can at once find them in the dark, 
and get into them quickly. 

Cleaning Camp Ground. — Never forget also that the 
state of an old camp ground after the camp has finished, 




Woodpecker cleaning up debris 

tells exactly whether the patrol or troop which has used it 
was a smart one or not. No Scouts who are any good 
ever leave a camp ground dirty ; they sweep up and bury 
or burn every scrap of rubbish. 

It is important to get into this habit of cleaning up your 
camp ground before leaving it, as then farmers don't have 
the trouble of having to clean their ground after you leave, 
and they are, therefore, all the more willing to let you 
use it. 



CAMPING 



133 



The Woodpecker. — When you find that the ground 
round a tree is strewn with tiny chips of wood you may 
know at a glance that a woodpecker is making her nest 
there. The woodpecker chips away the bark and makes a 
deep hollow in the trunk. But she has sense enough to 
know that the chips which fall are telltales, so you may 
see her making efforts to tidy up the place, and in the end 
she will go to the trouble of flying away with every little 
chip and scrap in her beak to a distance, so that no enemy 
can see that she has been cutting a hole in that tree. 




" No more of their camping on my ground ! " 

Bathing.— When in camp, bathing will be one of your 
joys and one of your duties, a joy because it is such fun, 
a duty because no Scout can consider herself a full-blown 
Scout until she is able to swim and to save life in the 
water. 

But there are dangers about bathing for which every 
sensible Scout will be prepared. 



134 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

First, there is the danger of cramp. This comes very 
often from staying in the water too long. Ten minutes 
is ample time as a rule for a girl to he in the water, five 
minutes is safer. 

I f you bathe within an hour and a half of taking a meal, 
that is before your food is digested, you are very likely to 
get cramp. Cramp doubles you up in extreme pain so 
that you cannot move your arms or legs, and down you 
go and drown. 

When bathing is going on there should always be one 
or two good swimmers on duty as " life savers. " They 
should not bathe themselves till the others are out of the 
water, but should be in bathing-dress, ready to jump in at 
any moment to help any one that they see in difficulties. 

This plan is always strictly carried out by Boy Scouts 
and Girl Scouts in camp, and has already been the means 
of saving many lives and from changing a joy-camp into 
a camp of mourning. 

Water Supply. — A Tenderfoot drinks any kind of 
water that she finds handy, and consequently gets ill after 
the first day camping out, and has to go home again. 

'fhc old campaigner is very careful indeed about get- 
ting clean drinking water, and if she is not certain that 
it is wholesome she will take care to boil it well before 
drinking it, as this kills all the little germs of disease 
which exist more or less in all w r ater, however clear it may 
be. 

Cleanliness. — Take special care to keep your kitchen 
clean, and it will make you more comfortable and more 
healthy in camp. More comfortable because flies will not 



CAMPING 135 

infest the place unless they find dirt and scraps to feed 
upon. 

More healthy because if there are flies they always 
bring poison on to your food. So keep the camp kitchen 
and ground round it very clean at all times. Dig a small 
pit a couple of feet deep near the kitchen and throw all 
refuse that won't burn into this, and fill in the pit with 
earth every night. 

Tidy up as neatly as the woodpecker does. 

Drains. — Also do not neglect to dig a long trench to 
serve as a latrine. Every camp, even if only for one 
night, should have a sewer trench two or three feet deep, 
quite narrow 7 , not more than one foot wide, with screens 
of canvas or branches on all sides. 

Earth should always be thrown in after use, and the 
trench must be filled up before leaving the place. Even 
away from camp a small pit should always be dug and 
filled in with earth after use. It is a cleanly habit for the 
sake of other people, and also makes the camp healthier. 

Xeglect of this not only makes a place unhealthy, but it 
also makes farmers and landowners disinclined to give the 
use of their ground for Scouts to camp on or to work 
over. So don't forget it. 

Tidiness. — Tidiness in camp means tidiness in the home 
and also tidiness in the streets or parks or when out pic- 
nicing. Scouts have got a splendid name for cleaning up 
their camp ground when they leave, although it is not 
a pleasant duty. They do it because a dirty littered bit 
of ground is not pleasant for other people to look on or 
use. Therefore out in the streets or parks or country 



136 



SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 



don't throw away the bit of paper that held your candy 
or cake. It not only makes the place look untidy, but 
it means work for someone else to clear it up. There- 
fore, carry your paper to the waste-paper bin, or burn 
or bury it. 

How to make a Bed. — To manufacture a bed in camp 
is a different thing from " making your bed " in a house. 
To make a bed for camp use the following is the dodge : — 

To make a Camp Loom. — Plant a row (1) of five 
stakes, 2 ft. 6 in. long, firmly in the ground; opposite 
to them at a distance of 6 ft. to 7 ft., drive in a row of 




Using a camp loom. 



two and a crossbar (2). Fasten a cord or gardener's 
twine to the head of each stake in No. 1 row and stretch 
it to the crossbar in No. 2 and make it fast there, then 
carry the continuation of it back over No. 1 row for 
some 5 ft. extra, and fasten it to a loose crossbar or 
" beam " at exactly the same distance apart from the 



CAMPING 137 

next cord as it stands at the stakes. This beam is then 
moved up and down at slow intervals by one Scout, 
while the others lay bundles of fern, straw, or heather, 
etc., alternately under and over the stretched strings, 
which are thus bound in by the rising or falling on to 
them. 

Bleeding. — When a man is bleeding badly from a 
w r ound, press the wound or the flesh just above it — that 
is between the wound and the heart — press it hard with 
your thumb to try and stop the blood running in the 
artery. Then make a pad with something like a flat 
rounded pebble, and bind it over the wound. If bleeding 
violently, tie a handkerchief loosely round the limb above 
the wound, and twist it tight with a stick. [Demonstrate 
this.] Keep the wounded part raised above the rest 
of the body if possible. Apply cold water, or ice, if 
possible, wet rags, etc. * 

Bleeding from the ears and insensibility after a fall 
mean injury to the skull. The patient should not be 
moved at all if possible. It is best even to keep him lying 
on the spot, and put cold water or ice to his head and keep 
him quiet till a doctor comes. 

Spitting or throwing up blood means internal injury or 
bursting of a small blood-vessel inside the patient. The 
case often looks more serious than it really is. If the 
blood is light red in colour and mixed with froth it means 
injury to the lungs. In either case keep the patient 
quiet and give ice to suck or cold water to sip. 

Don't be alarmed at the amount of blood that flows from 
a patient. It used to be a common thing for the barber 



138 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

to bleed a man to the extent of five or six cupfuls of 
blood, and the patient feels all the better for it. 

(S.T.) 

HOW TO BE HEALTHY — AND WISE 

In addition to the exercises for your body which are 
given earlier in this book you should understand what 
they do for you and why you are advised to practise 
them. It is not for my amusement ! It is for your 
own health and happiness. And here are a few more 
tips that will help you to be healthy, and possible wealthy, 
and certainly wise — if you carry them out. 

Exercises and Their Object 

To make yourself strong and healthy it is necessary 
to begin with your inside and to get the blood into good 
order and the heart to work well ; that is the secret of 
the whole thing, physical exercises should be taken with 
that intention. This is the way to do it: — 

(a) Make the heart strong in order to pump the 
blood properly to every part of the body, and so to 
build up flesh, bone, and muscle. Exercise: " Swim- 
ming " and " Wrist Pushing." 

(b) Make the lungs strong in order to provide the 
blood with fresh air. Exercise: " Deep breathing/' 

(c) Make the skin perspire to get rid of the dirt from 
the blood. Exercise: Bath, or rub with a damp towel 
every day. 

(d) Make the stomach work to feed the blood. Ex- 
ercise: " Body bending." 



THE NOSE 139 

(e) Make the bowels active to remove the remains of 
food and dirt from the body. Exercise: " Body bend- 
ing " and " Kneading the abdomen. " Drink plenty of 
good water. Punctual daily move of bowels. 

(/) Work muscles in each part of the body to make 
the blood circulate to that part, and so increase your 
strength. Exercise: Walking and special exercises of 
special muscles. 

The blood thrives on simple good food, plenty of ex- 
ercise, plenty of fresh air, cleanliness of the body both 
inside and out, and proper rest of body and mind at 
intervals. 

The Japs are particularly strong and healthy. They 
eat very plain food, chiefly rice and fruit, and not much 
of it. They drink plenty of water, but no spirits. They 
take lots of exercise. They make themselves good- 
tempered. They live in fresh air as much as possible 
day and night. Their particular exercise is " Ju-Jitsu '' 
which is more of a game than drill, and is generally 
played in pairs. By Ju-Jitsu, the muscles and body are 
developed in a natural way, in the open air as a rule. 
It requires no apparatus. 

The Nose 

Always breathe through the nose. Shut your Mouth 
and Save your Life. Indians for a long time adopted 
that method with their children to the extent of tying 
up their jaws at night, to ensure their breathing only 
through their nose. 

Breathing through the nose prevents germs of disease 



140 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

getting from the air into the throat and stomach; it also 
prevents a growth in the back of the throat called 
" adenoids," which are apt to stop the breathing power 
of the nostrils, and also to cause deafness. 

For a Scout nose-breathing is also specially useful 
By keeping the mouth shut you prevent yourself from 







Indian cradle : the mouth bandage to induce nose breathing 

getting thirsty when you are doing hard work. And also 
at night, if you are in the habit of breathing through the 
nose, it prevents snoring. Therefore practise keeping 
your mouth shut and breathing through your nose. 

Ears 

A Scout must be able to hear well. Generally the 
ears are very delicate, and once damaged are apt to 



TEETH 141 

become incurably deaf. People are too apt to fiddle 
about with their ears in cleaning them by using things 
which are dangerous with such a sensitive organ as the 
ear, the drum of the ear being a very delicate, tightly- 
stretched skin which is easily damaged. Very many 
children have had the drums of their ears permanently 
injured by getting a box on the ear, or cleaning them 
out roughly with the hard corner of a towel. 

Eyes 

A Scout, of course, must have particularly good eye- 
sight; she must be able to see anything very quickly, 
and to see at a long way ofif. By practising your eyes 
in looking at things at a great distance they will grow 
stronger. While you are young you should save your 
eyes as much as possible, or they will not be strong 
when you get older; therefore avoid reading by lamp- 
light or in the dusk, and also sit with your back or side 
to the light when doing any work during the day; if you 
sit facing the light it strains your eyes. 

The strain of the eyes is a very common failure with 
growing girls, although very often they do not know it, 
and headaches come most frequently from the eyes be- 
ing strained ; frowning on the part of a girl is very gen- 
erally a sign that her eyes are being strained. Reading 
in bed brings headaches. 

Teeth 

Bad teeth are troublesome, and are often the cause of 
neuralgia, indigestion, abscesses, and sleepless nights. 



142 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

During the Boer war over three thousand of our soldiers 
had to be sent away, unfit to fight, because their teeth were 
so bad that they could not eat the food out there. Good 
teeth depend greatly on how you look after them when 
you are young. Attention to the first set of teeth keeps 
the mouth healthy for the second teeth, which begin to 
come when a child is seven, and these are meant to last you 
to the end of your life if you keep them in order. 

If one tooth is allowed to decay, it will spread decay 
in all the others, and this arises from scraps of feed re- 
maining between the teeth and decaying there. 

A thorough Scout always brushes her teeth inside and 
outside and between all, just the last thing at night as 
well as other times, so that no food remains about them 
to rot. Scouts in camps or in the wilds of the jungle 
cannot always buy tooth-brushes, but should a tiger or a 
crocodile have borrowed yours, you can make your teeth 
just as bright and white as his are by means of a frayed- 
out, dry, clean, stick. 

CEREMONY FOR INVESTING SECOND 
CLASS GIRL SCOUTS 

The troop forms in horseshoe formation, as in the case 
of Tenderfoot ceremony, the Captain and Lieutenant 
standing facing the troop. 

Captain : " The Scouts (calling the list of names) have 
satisfactorily passed all the tests required for a Second 
Class badge, and are duly qualified to receive that badge. " 

The Captain then calls forward, one by one, the girls 



MEASUREMENT OF THE GIRL 143 

who are to receive the badge. If there is more than 
one in a patrol, call all those in the same patrol together 
with their patrol leader, but go through the form with 
each individual girl. 

Captain: " (name of girl), do 

you now pledge yourself to renew your Scout promise, 
and to fulfill the Scout Law ? " 

Scout : " On my honor, I now pledge myself to renew 
the Scout promise and to fulfill the Scout law." 

Captain : " Invest." 

The Scout comes forward and stands at salute while 
the Captain pins on her sleeve (where it is afterwards to 
be sewed) the Second Class badge. 

Then the Scout salutes and is saluted by the rest of 
the troop, and returns to her place. 

Measurement of the Girl 

It is of paramount importance to teach the young citizen 
to assume responsibility for her own development and 
health. 

Physical drill is all very well as a disciplinary means of 
development, but it does not give the girl any responsibil- 
ity in the matter. 

It is therefore deemed preferable to tell each girl, ac- 
cording to her age, what ought to be her height, weight, 
and various measurements {such as chest, zvaist, arm, leg, 
etc.). She is then measured and learns in which points 
she fails to come up to the standard. She can then be 
shown which exercises to practise for herself in order to 
develop those particular points. Encouragement must 



144 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

afterzvards be given by periodical measurements, say, 
every three months or so. 

Cards can be obtained from the " Girl Scouts " Head- 
quarters, which, besides giving the standard measure- 
ments for the various ages, give columns to be filled in 
periodically, showing the girl's remeasurements and prog- 
ress in development. If each girl has her card it is a 
great incentive to her to develop herself at odd times 
when she has a few minutes to spare. 

Games to Develop Strength 

Skipping, rowing, fencing, swimming, tennis, and hand- 
ball are all valuable aids to developing strength. 

Remember that sitting still is one form of exercise. 
How can that be ? Well, if you remember how you ought 
to sit and keep yourself up to it you will gradually 
strengthen the muscles of your back so that in a few weeks 
you will sit upright naturally without any effort or 
thought. 

You may ask why shouldn't I sit like that if it is more 
comfortable. Well, do it if you like, but remember that 
a large part of your time is spent sitting, sitting at lessons, 
at meals, when reading or talking, and so on. Nearly 
one-third of each day you are sitting, and therefore form- 
ing yourself into one shape or the other. The thing is 
to form yourself into the right one. 

The wrong one makes you look pretty dowdy and 
sloppy when you are going about, but worse than that it 
lets your lungs slack down and the muscles of the stomach 
relax, so that instead of drawing the full breath of air 



GAMES TO DEVELOP STRENGTH 145 

into your chest for renewing your blood you are only 
breathing in a little driblet almost down in your stomach. 
So buck up : correct your position while your muscles 
are still young and forming themselves ; later on, when 
they are " set " you won't be able to alter them. So it 
just depends on you yourself whether you are going 
to be a fine upstanding healthy woman or a sloppy old 
thing. 






CHAPTER III 
HOW TO BECOME A FIRST CLASS SCOUT 

Why is a Second-Class Scout like an advertisement of 
Pears' Soap? Because she sees the First Class Badge 
within her reach if she only tries for it and " she won't be 
happy till she get it" 

At any rate I hope she won't, because a Scout who is 
content to sit down and be a Second Class Scout is only 
a third class girl. 




i 



She won't be happy till she gets it. 

It is true that when she has got her Second Class, 
she can go in for Proficiency Badges and cover her arm 
with them, but I would much rather see a Scout with the 
one Badge of First Class on her left arm than one with 
a dozen on her right. 

After all the First Class tests are not so very hard. 

146 



FIRST CLASS GIRL SCOUTS 



147 



They look a lot, but like many other difficulties in this 
world they are not so bad as they look when you smile 
at them and tackle them. 

Here are the tests that you have to go through for be- 
coming First Class Scouts : — 

First Class Girl Scout 

To become a First Class Girl Scout, she must have 
been a Second Class Scout. 

I. Intelligence. 

Be able to draw a rough sketch of the district 
around the troop meeting place, locat- 
ing the important landmarks, and be 
able to direct a stranger to the nearest 
doctor, fire station, telephone, postoffice, 
etc., from any point within that district, 
and to judge distances. 

Be able to send and receive mes- 
sages, in the general service code at the 
rate of thirty letters a minute. 

Have fifty cents in the savings 
banks earned by herself. 

Present a girl trained by herself in 
the test for Tenderfoot. 

Know how to distinguish and name 
ten animals, ten wild birds, ten wild 
flowers and ten trees. 



148 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

II. Handicraft and Skill. 

Be able to prepare, cook and serve one simple 
meal, of three courses. 

Must bring a shirt waist or skirt made by herself 
or the equivalent in needlework and be able to put 
in patches. 

III. Service. 

Be able to dress and bathe a child two years old 
or younger. Know the proper food to give a child 
before it is a year old, and up to the age of two 
years. Know how to clothe the child in winter and 
summer. 

Must know how to behave in case of accidents ; 
and what methods of rescue and restoration to use 
in two cases such as drowning, ice accident, gas 
poisoning and electric shock. 

IV. Health. 

Must know the simple laws of sanitation, health 
and ventilation ; and be able to walk a mile in 20 
minutes. 

Must swim 25 yds. in her clothes, and undress 
in the water. 

or 

Where swimming is impossible because of weak 
heart or lack of swimming facilities ; must win the 
other proficiency badges not already held. 



HOW TO DRAW A MAP 



149 



How to Draw a Map 

Once I paid a Boer find pounds for a map which he 
drew for me with a stub of a pencil on a bit of brown 
paper. He had never learnt drawing or mapping, but 
he was able to jot down a map that was of great value to 
me in a campaign against the Zulus. 

Almost any savage can draw you a map in the sand 
with the point of his stick : so I am sure that any Scout 
could do it on paper with a pencil — especially after a 
little practice. 

You know how useful it is to be able to read a map. 
Well, it is still more useful to be able to draw one for 
helping other people to find their way. You would not 
be a real Scout unless you could do this. 




'atusf /**■» Station to 
Con%p about 2 mile* 



A sketch map. 



Metalled Poad$ First Class tz 
•» • Second -s 

• Third x 

t/n metalled &oads 

How to indicate roads. 



Unbofdered Rood* firBt Class « as >a cJ 

*• + Seccnd *«. Kmui, 

■*' Third , * atz^-.z* 

UnniefolUd ._._.« 

More ways to show roads. 



IS© 



SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 



County Soufid+ftt immmmmm 
fWri%fl ' ' / 

Paths and boundaries. 



On highroads between large tpwns 
you can show the mileage like this. 



Railway br<f)f* Over tvad 

Road * W ' ro.'^y Wim^j f** 



TV 



Bridges are indicated this way. 



Stnote Lint 



&at;&i 




TturtiwoySj etc 



Trains and trams. 



ChutCA or CLapa wtth fewer & 

* * .' • * Sfife 6 ***** **mi**m df} w/de 

••• tithcut tower or %ftlr* \ AW 0p wtde er u«de* 

**•#*• /A^S^V^ Rivers, etc. 



«P 



This is the way to show buildings, 
etc. 



Wodtf; p/^ dattdvouS tret* fil*$?$P 

', >{.<*"» ♦$£♦ ^ 



Woods, etc. 



r. r 









Signs for north on map. 



HOW TO DRAW A MAP 



151 



The above signs are the conventional 
signs used in map-making. Contour- 
ing is most easily explained by cutting 
an apple in half and placing the halves 
face downwards, to represent a hill. 
You can then slice the pieces horizon- 
tally at regular distances to illustrate 
heights, as shown on a map. 




Contour 
mapping. 

Judging Heights and Distances 

Every Scout must be able to judge distance from an 
inch up to a mile and more. You ought, first of all, to 
know exactly what is the span of your hand and the 
breadth of your thumb, and the length from your elbow 
to your wrist, and the length from one hand to the 
other with your arms stretched out to either side, and 
also the length of your feet and of your stride; if you 
remember these accurately, they are a great help to you 
in measuring things. 



152 



SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 



Judging the distance of objects from you is only gained 
by practice, and judging the distance of a journey is gen- 
erally estimated by seeing how long you have been travel- 







A Scout must be able to estimate heights. 

ling, and at what rate ; that is to say, supposing you walk 
at the rate of four miles an hour, if you have been 
walking for an hour and a half you know that you have 
done about six miles. 






HOW TO DRAW A MAP 153 

Distance can also be judged by sound; that is to say, if 
you see a gun fired in the distance, and you count the 
number of seconds between the flash and the sound of the 
explosion reaching you, you q, x 

will be able to tell how far off ~ — — - =r I^y^~~~' ::r 
you are from the gun. fcwe ^ .' ) 

Sound travels at the rate of * / • 



365 yards in a second ; that is, £Z-r*^- ~_ ~j- > ~ } — =^w 
as many yards as there are j / e 

days in the year. ?./ 

A Scout must also be able * 

to estimate heights, from a few inches up to three thou- 
sand feet or more. 

The way to estimate the distance across a river is to 
take an object x, such as a tree or rock on the opposite 
bank ; start off at right angles to it from a, and pace, say, 
ninety yards along your bank ; on arriving at sixty yards, 

plant a stick or 
stone, b ; on arriving 
at c, thirty yards be- 
yond that, that is 
ninety from the 
start, turn at right 
angles and walk in- 
land, counting your 
^ — ^ l paces until you 

bring the stick and 
the distant tree in line ; the number of paces that you have 
taken from the bank c d will then give you the half dis- 
tance across a x. 




154 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

To find the height of an object such as a tree (a x), 
or a house, pace a distance of, say, eight yards away 
from it, and there at b plant a stick, says, six feet high ; 
then pass on until you arrive at a point where the top of 
the stick comes in line c with the top of the tree ; then the 
whole distance a c from the foot is to a x, the height of 
the tree, the same as the distance b c, from the stick, is to 
the height of the stick; that is, if the whole distance a c 
is thirty-three feet, and the distance b c from the stick 
is nine (the stick being six feet high), the tree is twenty- 
two feet high. 

(S.T.) 

Games in Pathfinding 

Learn how to recognize the Great Bear and the Pole 
Star and Orion; to judge time by the sun; find the south 
by the watch. Practise map reading and finding the way 
by the map ; and mark ofif roads by blazing, broken 
branches, and signs drawn on the ground. 

Captain takes a patrol in patrolling formation into a 
strange town or into an intricate piece of strange country, 
with a cycling map. She then gives instructions as to 
where she wants to go to, makes each Scout in turn lead 
the patrol, say, for seven minutes if cycling, fifteen min- 
utes if walking. This Scout is to find the way entirely 
by the map, and points are given for ability in reading. 

How to Bank Your Money 

To be a first-class Scout you have to have at least a 
shilling (or a dollar or a rupee) in the Savings Bank. 



HOW TO TRAIN A TENDERFOOT 155 

To do this you apply at your post office to start a deposit. 
The postmaster will take your money and keep it for you, 
and whenever you can get a few more pennies or dimes 
go and hand them in to be added to your account. As 
these sums mount up you will begin to be paid back a little 
" interest " by the postmaster. This you can spend on 
candy — if you are foolish ; but being a Scout you will 
add it to the money already in the bank and so increase 
your pile. 

How to Train a Tenderfoot 

You know the things that you had to do as a Tender- 
foot. It is now your business to do a good turn to 
another girl by showing her how to become a Scout. 
Mind you, it is all done by kindness and example. Per- 
haps you will find your pupil very shy or slow or stupid. 
Well, Be Prepared, for that and — smile. Be jolly with 
her. Don't try and teach her everything all at once. 
Show her generally all that she has to do and then begin 
with one thing and do it for her — then repeat it with her 
— and finally let her do it for herself. Let her make her 
mistakes at first and show her afterwards where she went 
wrong. She will soon get the hang of it all. 

Then your own example is what will influence her a 
lot. If you get impatient and short-tempered so will she. 
If you laugh and enjoy the lesson so will she, and be- 
tween you, you will get along like a house on fire. 



156 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

COOKING 

Cooking is great fun — sometimes quite exciting, when 
you try inventing new dishes. 

You can only become a cook by practice under the help 
of an experienced cook. But here are a few practical 
hints that will be helpful. 

Eggs, — Is an egg lighter or heavier when cooked ? An 
experienced cook is experienced in eggs. There are 
" new laid " eggs which are fresh and " fresh " eggs which 
are not; there are " cooking" eggs which are liable to 
squeak. Eggs are safe in their shells, and think you 
don't know whether they are fresh or not, or whether 
they are raw. Any egg can be thrown out of a first- 
floor window on to the lawn without the shell breaking, 
it falls like a cat, right end upwards, and this is not a 
boiled egg, either ! You can tell that because it will not 
spin on the table, so it must have been a raw egg. A 
cooked egg would spin. 

To tell a stale egg, you will see it is more transparent 
at the thick end which you hold it up to the light. 

Fresh eggs are more transparent in the middle. Very 
bad eggs will float in a pan of water. 

Poached Eggs. — Break each egg separately into a cup. 
When your water is boiling fast, drop in an egg sharply. 
Use a large deep pan, with salt and vinegar in the water. 
Lift the egg very carefully in a ladle before it is set too 
hard. Place the eggs all round a soup plate, pour over 
them a nice sauce, made with flour and butter, a little 
milk, and some grated cheese and salt. 



COOKING 157 

Meat. — Examine the meat before you accept it. If you 
do not know the looks of good meat, you should go to a 
butcher's shop and ask him to show you how to know it. 
Much gristle is a sign of old age. You can easily tell 
if meat smells disagreeable. Beef should be of a bright 
red color, and juicy and elastic. The fat should be firm 
and of a pale straw color. Mutton should feel dryish and 
the fat look white. All papers must be taken ofif at once. 
The feet of fowls should be soft and flexible, not dry, and 
the skin of the back should not be discolored. 

Beef and mutton, when underdone, are more easily 
digested than when cooked through. 

Roasting and grilling of meat is done to so heat the 
outside that the juices are kept in. The meat has to be 
frequently turned to prevent it burning, but allow plenty 
of salt to melt into the meat with the dripping, or it 
will taste just as good as a sole of a boot. 

As Mr. Holding said : " The only method I know of 
for properly making your meat thoroughly indigestible " 
is to hurry a stew. 

To stew or braise any meat or fowl you must leave it 
long and keep it slow. The flavor is improved if the meat 
be fried first. Then put in flavoring vegetables, bacon, 
herbs, and a little stock, and by the time you have done 
a day's work you will find a dish fit for a king. Even 
tough meat can be made delicious in this way, so long 
as it never gets near boiling and is closely covered. This 
is a case of " Sow hurry, and you reap indigestion/' 

Fish. — A most unwholesome food is stale fish. The 
gills, if fresh, should be bright red. Canned fish is often 



158 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

poisonous. Fish is a food which you can get more good 
from, considering the price, than if you bought meat, 
and the most nourishing fish and the cheapest are the 
herring mackeral. Pieces of fish, buttered, can be de- 
liriously steamed or baked if laid between two plates over 
a saucepan of water. 

Oatmeal. — Oats, too, are full of value; a pound and a 
half a day will keep a hard-warking man, for oatmeal 
increases the power of the muscles, and is rich in bone 
and flesh-forming materials. What you can get out of 
oats for 5 cents would cost you 75 cents in lean beef. 
Oats give increased mental vigour and vitality, as 
they have so much nerve and brain nourishment in 
them. 

Oatmeal should be kept fresh in a shut case or package. 

If you think your brain requires a fillip, eat plenty of 
beans, but they must be very much cooked, and should be 
well buttered. 

Vegetables. — Of vegetables I should like to say they 
can scarcely be too much cooked. Wash well in salted 
water; let leafy ones have a swim to get rid of grass- 
hoppers and caterpillars and sand, then put them into 
boiling salted water and take off the lid. Roots may be 
allowed covers. 

Peel and slice your onions under water or at a tap. 

I once watched a grand chef cooking potatoes, and he 
told me that the best of the potato lies next the skin, so he 
never cuts it, but he peels his potatoes on a fork after 
boiling. The cunning cook boils a bunch of mint with the 
potatoes. 



COOKING 159 

Excellent food for workers are parsnips, beetroots, or 
onions. 

Boiling Meat. — If you want the meat and not the juice, 
you should have your pot boiling fast when the meat is 
put in. But if you want gravy or beef-tea (not meat), 
put your meat into cold water and bring it slowly to the 
boil. 

Stock Pot. — Keep a pot going all day, into which you 
can put any broken-up bones or scraps left over, to make 
nourishing broth. Clean turnips, carrots, and onions im- 
prove it. Before using let it get cold, so as to skim off 
the fat. 

Barley, rice, or tapioca may be added, and for flavoring 
add salt, pepper, chopped parsley, celery, a clove, or mace. 

Milk. — Milk will take the flavor of any strong smell 
near it. Stale milk added to fresh will turn the whole 
of it sour. Sour milk need not be wasted. You can use 
it for baking or cooking, by adding bicarbonate of soda. 
Sour milk will clean ink or fruit stains, and in washing 
it bleaches linen. Yellowed linen should soak in it, so 
should spoons and forks. Sour milk cleanses oil-cloth as 
well as women's faces and hands. 
Chickens and turkeys get fat and lay 
better for being fed on it. 

To weigh roughly, tie a loop of 
strip to your package of tea, sugar, 
etc., and pass it on to your first fin- 
der. I find three pounds is as much 
as I can hold on my nail. If the loop is shifted to the 
root of the nail, four pounds is all one can hold. If the 




160 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

string is placed on the first joint, I find the parcel weighs 
seven pounds. Each person will be different, but you can 
find out your own power of lifting, and then you will 
know exactly for the future. 

FIRELESS COOKER 

A jolly useful thing for saving coal, saving time, and 
saving money is a Fireless Cooker. 

The Fireless Cooker is a very valuable help to you in 
your enjoyment of camp, because once you have started 
the food cooking you shove it in the Fireless Cooker, you 
press the lid, and the Fireless Cooker does the rest ! 

And you can leave the dinner to cook itself while you 
go out and play camp games. 

And so, too, in your own home, once you have started 
the food cooking you can put out the fire, and thus save 
fuel or gas, and let the Fireless Cooker finish the job for 
you. 

Construction of Box 

Obtain a large wooden box, such as a soap box. Line 
with double newspaper. Fill the box to within two or 
three inches of the top with very tightly packed hay, scoop 
out of the centre of the hay a cavity large enough to hold 
the cooking utensil. Make a cushion of house flannel to 
fit the top of the box exactly and stuff it tightly with hay. 

Rules for Use of Fireless Cooker 

Use saucepans with tightly fitting lids and short han- 
dles. Those made of aluminum or earthenware are pref- 






AVERAGE TIME FOR VARIOUS FOODS 161 

erable. Jam jars or large tins tightly covered may be 
used. 

Bring the food to boiling point on the gas cooker or 
kitchen range and while boiling place it at once in the box. 
Some foods require a certain amount of cooking previous 
to being placed in the Fireless Cooker. (See table be- 
low.) 

Wrap the cooking utensil in newspaper, and place in the 
prepared nest in the Fireless Cooker. 

Over this place the hay cushion and close the lid firmly. 
There must be no space between the cushion and the lid. 

Note. — To obtain satisfactory results, pack the stew- 
pan as quickly and firmly as possible ; this is to prevent 
loss of heat. 

Average Time for Various Foods 

Meat. — Cook for about half the usual time on the gas 
or kitchen range, and about four to six hours in the Fire- 
less Cooker. 

Dried Beans. — Soak overnight. Boil for 30 minutes. 
Allow three to four hours in the cooker. 

Fresh Fruit. — Bring to boiling point and place in the 
cooker at once. Allow one or two hours, according to the 
firmness of the fruit. 

Dried Fruit. — Soak overnight, bright to boiling point 
and put in the cooker for three to five hours. 

Oatmeal. — Boil for five minutes and leave in the cooker 
all night. 

Quaker Oats. — Bring to boiling point and leave in 
the cooker two hours. 



1 62 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Other foods, such as vegetables, bacon, etc., can be 
cooked by this method. 

Small Economics 

In the preparation and cooking of food there should 
be very little for the garbage can, and only cabbage or egg 
water for the drain. 



.Flavor soup or 
stock. 



Rinds and bones of bacon. 
Outside stalks of celery. 
The young green parts of vegetables. 
Pieces of gristle, skin and bone. 
Pea pods. 

Thick stems of cabbage or cauliflower leaves may be 
served with the vegetables or separately, if given sufficient 
time to cook. 

Water from boiled cauliflower makes a good soup. 

Apple skins — stones from jam — the surplus water 
from bottled fruit — boiled with a little sugar and water 
make a very good fruit syrup to serve with milk or suet 
puddings. 

The sugar from candied peel will sweeten and flavor a 
rice pudding. 

Water from boiled rice makes a thin stock for soups, 
or can be used to stiflfen articles of clothing in place of 
starch. 

The grease-proof paper from margarine, etc., will cover 
steamed puddings. 

Salt removes stains from enamel. 

Tissue paper cut into rounds and dipped in warm milk 



GAS STOVE 163 

will make air-tight covers for jam-pots, or can be used for 
polishing glass or metal. 

Newspapers can be used for lining the fireless cooker, 
wiping greasy saucepans or knives before washing, mak- 
ing fire lighters, rubbing over the stoves — the dirty pieces 
can be soaked in water, made into balls and put on the 
fire to keep it at a steady heat. 

Dried orange skins, nutshells, used matches, match- 
boxes, empty reels, fruit stones, are useful for fire light- 
ing. 

Vegetable parings not fit for food should be dried and 
used as fuel unless animals are kept. 

Gas Stove 

The stove and utensils should be kept clean. 

Shallow flat-bottomed vessels should be used. 

A compartment steamer cooks three or four different 
foods on one burner. 

A pudding in a basin can be raised out of water by a 
meat stand placed at the bottom of an ordinary sauce- 
pan — and vegetables cooked in a perforated steam pan 
above. 

Where possible arrange a meal to be cooked all on the 
top of the stove, or all in the oven. 

Avoid heating the oven to cook a single dish. 

Utilise all space when the oven is heated — food may 
be partly or wholly cooked for following day. 

In a gas oven three or four small tins are better than 
one large tin which fills the shelf. By the former method 
free circulation of heat is not prevented, and cooking is 



1 64 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

more efficient. If a large tin is used, have holes drilled 
in it to allow passage of heal. 

Fill the kettle before lighting the gas, and turn out the 
gas he fore emptying the kettle. 

Don't fill the kettle if only a pint of water is wanted. 

Tips for Cleaning,— Directly your cooking pot is empty 

pour eold water into it and put it on the fire to prevent 
the leavings getting hard, it will then he quite easy to 
clean later on. 

Personally I like washing up, though some people don't, 

hut the main thing is to keep the greasy things to the last. 
Wash the eleaner things first in hot water with a clean 
dishcloth, then add hotter water and deal with the greasy 

things. 

Dry the utensils with a dry towel, then dry further in 
warm air, and finally polish with a soft eloth. 

NEEDLEWOMAN 

Needlework. — "A Stitch in time saves nine." I can- 
not agree with this favorite saying, because I feel sure it 
saves so many more than nine, besides saving time and 
preventing looking untidy. 

I will tell you another thing I don't believe in. Tailors, 
who are such neat workers, will say that they never pin 
their work first [f you are not a tailor, it is mueh hetter 
to plaee your work before you begin, with plenty of pins. 
You will never get Straight lines or smooth corners if you 
do not plan and plaee it all first, just as it has got to he, 
and tack it there. 



NEEDLEWOMAN 165 

Have you noticed that thread is very fond of tying 
itself into a bow ; but this can be prevented by threading 
the needle before you cut the thread off the spool, making 
your knot at the end you cut. 

Rough measures may be said to be one inch across 
a 25 cent piece, and a yard from nose to thumb as far as 
you can reach. Needle-work is good for all of us ; it 
rests and calms the mind. You can think peacefully over 
all the worries of Europe whilst you are stitching. Sew- 
ing generally solves all the toughest problems, chiefly 
other people's. 

The Scouts' Patch. — I don't know whether you ever 
did such a thing as burn a hole in your dress, but I have, 
and if it is in the front, oh, dear! what will mother say? 
Now, there is a very good way that Scouts have of mak- 
ing it all right and serviceable ; they put in a piece and 
darn it in all round. If possible, get a piece of the same 
stuff, then it will not fade a different tint, and will wear 
the same as the rest. You may undo the hem and cut 
out a bit, or perhaps you may have some scraps over 
from cutting out your dress. 

The piece must be cut three or four inches larger than 
the hole and frayed out on all four sides. Trim the hole 
with your scissors neatly all round quite square with the 
thread. Then lay your piece over the hole — of course, 
on the back or " wrong side " — and tack it there with 
cotton. Now take a darning needle, and thread each 
thread in turn and darn each one into the stuff. If the 
ends of stuff are very short, it is best to run your needle 
in and out where you are going to darn, and then, before 



166 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

pulling it through, thread it with the wool. This patch- 
ing is excellent for table-linen. 

I once had an aunt who was a thorough old Scout, and 
was rather proud of her mending, and she always said 
that she didn't mind what colored cotton you gave her 
to sew with, because her stitches hardly ever showed, they 
were so small, and also she put them inside the stuff. 
If she was putting on a patch to blue stuff, she could do 
it with red cotton, and you would never have noticed it 
on the right side ; her stitches were all under the edge. 
Or else she sewed it at the back, on the " wrong " side, 
so that it looked perfectly neat. 

If you are not able to match the wool for a darn, it is 
a good plan to use the ravellings of the stuff itself. 
Sometimes, away in the country, you can't go to shop 
and you have nothing like the piece you want to mend. 
A Scout would turn it inside out and undo a little of the 
hem and ravel out the edge. Suppose you were to cut a 
hole in the front of your blue serge skirt ; if you darn it 
with the ravellings of the turnings of the seam or the hem, 
that will be exactly the same color and the same thick- 
ness as your dress. No wool you could buy would 
match as well. Or if you want to mend a jersey or 
knitted gloves, you never could buy such a good match 
— the same sized wools and the tints. 

HOW TO DEAL WITH FIRES AND 
ACCIDENTS 

Fire. — If you discover a house on fire you should — 
ist — Alarm the people inside. 



FIRES AND ACCIDENTS 167 

2nd — Warn the nearest policeman or fire-brigade sta- 
tion. 

3rd — Rouse neighbours to bring ladders, mattresses, 
carpets, to catch people jumping. 

After arrival of fire engines the best thing girls can do 
is to help the police in keeping back the crowd out of the 
way of the firemen, hose, etc. 

If it is necessary to go into a house to search for feeble 
insensible people, the thing is to place a wet handker- 
chief or worsted stocking over your nose and mouth and 
walk in a stooping position, or crawl along on your hands 
and knees quite near the floor, as it is here that there is 
least smoke or gas. Also, for passing through fire and 
sparks, if you can, get hold of a blanket, and wet it, 
and cut a hole in the middle through which to put 
your head; it forms a kind of fireproof mantle, with 
which you can push through flames and sparks. [Prac- 
tice this.] 

If you find a person with his clothes on fire, you should 
throw him flat on the floor, because flames only burn 
upwards, then roll him up in the hearthrug or carpet, coat 
or blanket, and take care in doing so that you don't catch 
fire yourself. The reason for doing this is that fire can- 
not continue to burn where it has no air. 

When you find an insensible person (and very often 
in their fright they will have hidden themselves under 
beds and tables, etc.), you should either carry him out on 
your shoulder, or, what is often more practicable in the 
case of heavy smoke, gas fumes, or in battle when under 
heavy fire, etc., harness yourself on to him with sheets or 



1 68 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

cords and drag him out of the room along the floor, 
crawling on all fours yourself. 

A soldier was recently awarded the Distinguished Con- 
duct Medal for thus getting his wounded officer into 
safety while being fired at by the enemy. 

To do this you lay the patient on his back, make a bow- 
line at each end of your rope, one you put over the 




Moving an insensible girl. 

patient's chest and under his arms, and the other over 
your own neck, then with your back to his head you 
start on u all fours " to pull him along, head first. If 
the bowline is the right length it will keep his head up 
off the ground, as the picture shows. 

Bums. — In treating a man who has been burnt, remove 
his clothes, not by peeling them off, but by cutting them 
with a sharp knife or scissors. If any part of the dress 
sticks to the skin from having been burnt there do not 
tear it away, but cut the cloth round it, then as quickly 
as possible protect the burnt parts from the air, which 
causes intense pain. The best way to protect them is 
by dusting them with powdered chalk or flour, or by lay- 
ing strips of lint well soaked in sweet oil or linseed oil, 
and covering the whole with cotton wool, or by pouring 



FIRES AND ACCIDENTS 169 

on oil. Keep the patient warm, and give warm drinks, 
such as hot tea, hot milk, or salomonia and water. 

Major John Garroway, m.d., strongly recommends, in- 
stead of flour or oil to stop the pain of a burn, to put a 
piece of paper firmly over the wound, and the pain will 
be relieved in a few seconds. 

Quite a large number of Scouts have saved lives in the 
water through knowing how to swim and what to do. 
Several Scouts have also saved life in fire, and have 
received medal for saving life. 

Saving Life from Drowning. — A moderate swimmer 
can save a drowning man if she knows how, and has prac- 
tised it a few times with her friends. The popular idea 




that a drowning person rises three times before he finally 
sinks is all nonsense. He often drowns at once, unless 
someone is quick to help him. The important point is 
not to let the drowning person catch hold of you, or he 
will probably drown you too. Keep behind him always. 
If you find yourself clutched by the wrist, turn your wrist 
against his thumb and force yourself free. Your best 



170 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

way in helping a drowning man is to keep behind and hold 
him up by the elbows, or by the back of the neck, or by 
putting your arms under his armpits and your hands 
across his chest, and telling him to keep quiet and not to 
struggle. If he obeys, you can easily keep him afloat; 
but otherwise be careful that in his terror he does not 
turn over and catch hold of you. If he should seize you 
by the neck, Holbein says, " Scrag him, and scrag him 
quickly. Place your arm round his waist, and the other 
hand, palm upwards, under his chin, with your finger- 
tips under his nose. Pull and push with all your might, 
and he must perforce let go." But you will never re- 
member this unless you practise it frequently with other 
people first, each taking it in turns to be the drowning 
man or rescuer. 

[Practice this.] 

If you see a person fall into the water and begin to 
drown, and you yourself are unable to swim, you must 
throw a rope, or an oar, or plank right over him, so 
that when he comes up again he may clutch at it and 
hold it. 

Drowning, — To restore any one who is apparently 
drowned, it is necessary at once to clear the water out of 
his lungs, for which purpose, therefore, you should incline 
him face downwards and head downwards, so that the 
water may run out of his mouth, and to help it you 
should open his mouth and pull forward his tongue. 
After running the water out of the patient, place him on 
his side with his body slightly hanging down, and keep the 
tongue hanging out. If he is breathing, let him rest; if 



FIRES AND ACCIDENTS 



171 



he is not breathing, you must at once endeavour to restore 
breathing artificially. 

There are several ways of reviving persons apparently 
drowned. You may find one person eager to do exactly 
the opposite of another, but do not fight over it ; the best 




" If I can't swim I have at least learnt how to fling a lifebuoy." 

thing is to do quickly whatever you can. Probably 
" Schaf er's system " is the simplest. Lay the patient 
down with his bent arm to support the forehead. 

Place your hands on the small of the patient's back, 
one on each side, with thumbs parallel and nearly touch- 
ing, and the fingers reaching only to the lowest ribs. 



172 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS I 

Bend forward with the arms straight, so as to allow 
the weight of your body to fall on your wrists, and then 
make a firm, steady downward pressure on the loins of 
the patient, while you count slowly, one — two — three, 
to press the patient's stomach against the ground and to 
force the air from his chest. 

Then swing your body backwards so as to relieve the 
pressure, and without removing your hands, while you 
count slowly, one — two. 

Continue this backward and forward movement, alter- 
nately relieving and pressing the patient's stomach against 
the ground in order to drive the air out of his chest and 
mouth, and allowing it to suck itself in again, until grad- 
ually the patient begins to do it for himself. 

The proper pace for the movement should be about 
twelve pressures to the minute. 

As soon as the patient is breathing, you can leave off 
the pressure; but watch him, and if he fails you must 
start again or get some one to take your place till he 
can breath for himself. 

Then let him lie in a natural position, and set to work 
to get him warm by putting hot flannels or bottles of hot 
water between his thighs, and under the arms, and against 
the soles of his feet, but not before he is breathing. Wet 
clothing should be taken off and hot blankets rolled round 
him. The patient should be disturbed as little as possible, 
and encouraged to sleep, while carefully watched for at 
least an hour afterwards. 

This is called the Schafer method, and can be used 



FIRES AND ACCIDENTS 173 

equally well for drowned people or for those overcome 
with smoke or gas fumes. 

Xow just practise this with another Scout a few times, 
so that you understand exactly how to do it, and so Be 
Prepared to do it to some poor fellow, maybe, really in 
need of it one day. 

Make the Scouts, in pairs, practise above. 

Wounded : taking off clothes. Pull off from the well 
or uninjured side first, then when all is loose, carefully 
uncover the injured part. Try not to move it, cut the 
sleeve or trouser up the seam with the rounded end of 
scissors inside the cloth. If clothes have to be put on 
again, sew pairs of tapes to edges. 

Accidents 

Electric Shock, — Men frequently get knocked insen- 
sible by touching an electric cable or rail. The patient 
should be moved from the rail, but you have to be careful 
in doing this that you don't get the electric shock also. 
In the first place put glass, if possible, for yourself to 
stand upon, or dry wood if glass is not obtainable, or 
put on india-rubber boots. Also put on india-rubber 
gloves before touching the patient. If you have none, 
wrap your hands in several thicknesses of dry cloth, and 
pull the patient away with a stick. 

A boy was hunting butterflies at St. Ouen, in France, 
the other day, when he fell on the " live " rail of the elec- 
tric railway and was instantly killed by the shock. A 
passer-by, in trying to lift him off, fell dead beside him. 



174 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

A brickmaker ran up and tried to rescue them, and was 
himself struck dead in the same way. The two would-be 
rescuers were killed through not having learned before- 
hand what was the right thing to do. 

(S.T.) 

Gas, Smoke, or Fumes. — Accidents are continually 
occurring from escapes of gas in mines, sewers, and 
houses. 

In endeavoring to rescue a person, keep your nose and 
mouth well covered with a wet handkerchief, and get 
your head as close to the floor as possible, and drag the 






a*. 







li T. 



\ «1 

Push a long ladder or pole across the hole. 

insensible person out as I have suggested in case of a 
fire. Drag your patient as quickly as possible into the 
fresh air — (I say as quickly as possible, because if you 
delay about it you are very apt to be overcome by the 
noxious gas yourself) — then loosen all his clothing about 
the neck and chest, dash cold water in his face. If you 
find that he is no longer breathing, then treat him as you 



ACCIDENTS 175 

would a drowned person, and try and work back the 
breath into his body. 

Ice Accidents. — If a person falls through ice, and is 
unable to get out again because of the edges breaking, 
throw him a rope and tell him not to struggle. This may 
give him confidence until you can get a long ladder or 
pole across the hole, which will enable him to crawl out, 
or will allow you to crawl out to catch hold of him. 

First Aid 

When you see an accident in the street or people in- 
jured, the sight of the torn limbs, the blood, the broken 
bones, and the sound of the groans and sobbing all make 
you feel sick and horrified and anxious to get away from 
it — if you're not a Girl Scout. But that is cowardice: 
your business as a Scout is to steel yourself to face it 
and to help the poor victim. As a matter of fact, after 
a trial or two you really get to like such jobs, because 
with coolheadedness and knowledge of what to do you 
feel you give the much-needed help. 

(S.T.) 

Every Scout should not only know how, but should 
from frequent practice be able to do the right thing in 
every kind of accidental injury. 

In an accident when you are alone with the injured 
person, if he is unconscious lay him on his back with 
his head a little raised and on one side so that he does 
not choke, and so that any vomit or water, etc., can 
run out of his mouth. Loosen the clothing about his 



176 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

neck and chest. See where he is injured, and treat him 
according to what you are taught in learn " First Aid." 

If you have found the man lying insensible you should 
carefully examine the ground round him for any " sign," 
and take note of it and of his position, etc., in case it 
should be afterwards appear that he had been attacked 
by others. 

[Practise above, one girl as patient, the other to find 
her. Make "sign" round the patient. ,] 

If you are out with a patrol and an accident happens, 
or you find an injured man, the patrol leader should direct 
one scout to go for a doctor ; she herself will attend to the 
patient with one Scout to help her. The second will use 
the other Scouts in assisting by getting water or blankets, 
or making a stretcher, or keeping the crowd back by 
forming a fence with their ropes. 

As a rule it is best to keep the patient quite quiet at 
first ; unless it is necessary, do not try to move him ; and 
don't bother him with questions until he recovers a bit. 

Broken Limbs. — How to tell when a limb is broken. 

There is generally a swelling and pain about the place 
where the bone has broken, and sometimes the limb 
is bent in an unnatural way and the patient cannot use it. 

The broken limb should not be moved about at all, but 
should be stragihtened and bound to something stiff that 
will keep it stiff and straight while the patient is being 
moved to hospital or home. 

Splints. — The stiff thing that you tie to the injured 
limb is called a splint. This may be anything such as a 
wooden batten, Scout's staff, tightly rolled newspaper, etc. 



ACCIDENTS 



177 



Splints should be long enough to go beyond the joints 
above and below the break. You should put a splint on 
each side of the limb if possible. 

Then bind the splints firmly from end to end with hand- 
kerchiefs or strips of linen or cloths, but not so tightly 
as to stop the blood circulating or to press into the 
swelling. 

[Practise this.] 

Bandage. — For binding a broken limb you want a good 
large three-cornered bandage. Its two 
sides should be each about forty inches 
long. 

To make a sling for broken arm or col- 
larbone, hang the bandage round the pa- 
tient's neck, tying the two ends together 
in a reef-knot with the point of the 
bandage towards the damaged arm. 
Rest the arm in this sling and bring the 
point round the back of the arm and pin 
it to hold the elbow in the sling. 

Fishhook in the Skin. — I got a fishhook into my finger 
the other day. I got a knife and cut off all the fly which 
was on the hook, then pushed the hook farther into my 
finger till the point began to push against the skin from 
inside. With a sharp knife I cut a little slit in the skin 
so that the point came easily through, and I was then able 
to get hold of it and to pull the whole hook through. 
Of course you cannot get a hook out backwards, as the 
barb holds tight in the flesh all the time. Such fun ! 

Frost-bite. — In Arctic countries or extreme cold men 




Bandaging. 



178 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

are liable to get frost-bitten. That is, their ears, or nose, 
or fingers, or toes get killed by the cold. The patient does 
not feel any pain ; the part becomes numb and turns very 
white and waxy, and afterwards purple. 

Directly this is noticed the part should be rubbed with 
snow or with the hand until the blood comes back to it. 
On no account should it be warmed by putting the patient 
in a warm room or near a fire; that would kill the part 
at once. 

Hysterics. — Nervous people, especially women, (get 
hysterics wh£n excited, crying, laughing, and screaming. 
The best treatment is to shut the patient into a room and 
leave her entirely alone till she gets over it. Don't try 
and soothe her, it only makes her worse. 

Fainting. — If your patient faints and is pale — fainting 
comes from too little blood in the head — make him sit 
down, and push his head down between his knees. Pres- 
sure on a nerve (for instance, in top of eye socket) will 
often revive. If his face is flushed raise the head — 
there is too much blood in it, as in apoplexy or sunstroke. 

Toothache. — This is not mentioned in most first aid 
instructions, and yet you can earn many blessings by 
knowing how to relieve it. Here is a simple way that is 
generally successful, especially if the offending tooth is 
in the upper jaw. Steep a little bit of cotton-wool in 
spirits of camphor. Stuff the wool into one nostril — 
hold the other nostril tight shut and make the patient draw 
in the air through the wool. The spirit is thus suck in on 
to the nerve, which lies near the back of the nose, and it 
very quickly relieves the pain. 



ACCIDENTS 179 

Fits. — A man cries out and falls, and twitches and 
jerks his limbs about, froths at the mouth : he is in a fit. 
It is no good to do anything to him before the doctor 
comes except to put a bit of wood or cork between his 
jaws, so that he does not bite his tongue. Let him sleep 
well after a fit. 

Poisoning. — If a person suddenly falls very ill after 
taking food, or is known to have taken poison, the first 
thing to do is to make him swallow some milk or raw 
eggs. These seem to collect all the poison that is other- 
wise spread about inside him. Then, if the mouth is not 
stained or burnt by the poison, make him vomit if possible 
by giving him salt and warm water, and try tickling the 
inside of his throat with a feather. Then more eggs and 
milk, and weak tea. If the poison is an acid that burns, 
the patient should not be made to vomit, but milk or salad 
oil should be given. The patient should be kept away if 
he gets drowsy. 

Blood-Poisoning. — This results from dirt being al- 
lowed to get into a wound. Swelling, pain, red veins 
appear. Fomenting with hot water is the best relief. 

Choking. — Loosen collar ; hold the patient's nose with 
one hand and with the forefinger of the other, or with 
the handle of a spoon try and pull out whatever is stuck 
in his throat. By pressing down the root of the tongue 
you may make him vomit and throw out the obstruction. 
For slight choking make patient bend head well back 
and swallow small pills made of bread, and sip water. 
Sometimes a good hard smack on the back will do him 
good. 



180 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Choking sometimes comes from a sudden swelling in- 
side the throat. In this case put hot steaming flannel 
fomentations to the neck and give the patient ice to suck 
or cold water to sip. 

Quinsy. — When I was in the Andes Mountains in 
South America recently, I heard of two Englishmen who 
had died there not long before from choking by quinsy, 
simply because there was no one by who knew what to 
do in such a case. Everybody ought to Be Prepared to 
deal with quinsy if away from the help of doctors. 

Most people suffer from tonsilitis at one time or an- 
other in their lives — that is a swelling of the tonsils — 
the round lumps of flesh on each side of the back of 
the throat. And sometimes, on rare occasions, the swell- 
ing becomes so great that the patient cannot breathe, the 
throat becomes completely blocked up. This is quinsy. 

Very hot fomentations is the best step towards easing 
the pain and reducing the swelling. 

The extreme measure is to lance the patient's tonsils. 

Acid Burning. — A case occurred only the other day of 
a woman throwing vitrol over a man's face. This is an 
awful acid, which burns and eats away the flesh wherever 
it touches. Fortunately a policeman happened to be on 
the spot at the time, and knew what to do. He at once 
applied half warm water to which some soda had been 
added to wash off the acid, and then applied flour or 
whitening to protect the wound from the air and ease 
the pain as you would do for a burn. 

Snake Bite. — Fortunately poisonous snakes are un- 
common. If you go abroad you may come across them, 



ACCIDENTS 181 

and you ought always to know how to deal with bites 
from them. The same treatment does also for wounds 
from poisoned arrows, mad dogs, etc. Remember the 
poison from a bite gets into your blood, and goes all 
through your body in a very few beats of your pulse. 
Therefore, whatever you do must be done immediately. 
The great thing is to stop the poison rushing up the 
veins into the body. To do this bind a cord or hand- 
kerchief immediately round the limb above the place 
where the patient has been bitten, so as to stop the blood 
flying back to the heart with the poison. Then try and 
suck the poison out of the wound, and, if possible, cut 
the wound still more, to make it bleed, and run the 
poison out. The poison, when sucked into the mouth, 
does no harm unless you have a wound in your mouth. 
The patient should also be given stimulants, such as coffee 
or spirits, to a very big extent, and not allowed to become 
drowsy, but should be walked about and pricked and 
smacked in order to keep his senses alive. 
[Practise this process in make-believe.] 

(S.T.) 

Grit in the Eye. — Do not let your patient rub the eye ; 
it will only cause inflammation and swelling, and so make 
the difficulty of removing the grit all the greater. 

If the grit is in the lower eyelid, draw down the lid as 
far as you can, and gently brush it out with the corner 
of a moistened handkerchief, or with a paint brush, or 
feather. 

If it is under the upper lid, pull the lid away from the 



1 82 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

eyeball and push the under lid up underneath the upper 
one. In this way the eyelashes of the lower lid will gen- 
erally clean the inside of the upper one. 

Another way, which every Scout must practise, is to 
seat your patient and stand behind him yourself with the 
back of his head against your chest. Lay a card, match, 
or any flat substance under your own thumb on the upper 
part of the upper eyelid, and then catch hold of the edge 
of the eyelid and draw it upwards over the match so that 
it turns inside out ; gently remove the grit with a feather 
or wet handkerchief, and roll the eyelid down again. 

If the eye is much inflamed, bathe it with luke-warm 
weak tea. 

If the grit is firmly imbedded in the eye, drop a little 
oil (olive or castor oil) into the lower lid; close the eye, 
and bandage it with a soft wet pad and bandage, and get 
a doctor to see it. 

[Practise above.] 

How to make eye-tweezers for removing a piece of 
grit from eye. Fold a piece of paper 
in two. With a sharp knife cut it to a 
point of an angle of 30 , and slightly 
moisten the point. Then bring it straight down over the 
eyeball of the patient, so that it can nip the obstruction, 
which is generally removed at the first attempt. 

Stretchers may be arranged in some of the following 
ways : 

(a) A hurdle, shutter, door, gate, covered well with 
straw, hay, clothing, sacking. 

(b) A piece of carpet, blanket, sacking, tarpaulin or 







HOW TO PRACTISE 183 

Girl Scout skirts, spread out, and two stout poles rolled 
up in the sides. Put clothes for a pillow. 

(c) Two coats, with the sleeves turned inside out; pass 
two poles through the sleeves ; button the coats over them. 

(d) Two poles passed through a couple of sacks, 
through holes at the bottom corners of each. 

In carrying a patient on a stretcher be careful that he 
is made quite comfortable before you start. Let both 
bearers rise together; they must walk out of step, and 
take short paces. It should be the duty of the hinder 
bearer to keep a careful watch on the patient. 

If the poles are short four bearers will be necessary, one 
at each corner of the stretcher. 

[Practice these different methods.] 

How to Practise 

In practising First Aid it is a great thing to bespatter 
the patient with blood and mud to accustom the rescuer to 
the sight of it, otherwise it will often unnerve him in a 
real accident. Sheep's blood can be got from the butch- 
er's shop. 

Prepare a heavy smoke fire in a neighbouring room or 
building (if possible on the first floor), while you are lec- 
turing in the club room. Secretly arrange with two or 
three Scouts that if an alarm of fire is given they should 
ran about frightened and try and start a panic. 

Have the alarm given either by getting some one to 
rush in and tell you of the fire, or by having some ex- 
plosive bombs fired. Then let a patrol, or two patrols, 
tackle the fire under direction of their patrol leaders. 



1 84 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

They should shut windows and doors. Send Scouts into 
different parts of the building to see if the fire is spread- 
ing, and to search for people in need of rescue. 

These Scouts should have wet handkerchiefs over their 
mouths and noses. "Insensible" people (or sack dum- 
mies) should be hidden under tables, etc. 

Scouts rescue them by shouldering or dragging them 
out and getting them down to the ground. Use jumping 
sheet, chute, etc. 

Other parties lay and connect the hose, or make lines 
for passing fire buckets. 

Another party revive the rescued by restoring anima- 
tion. Another party form "fence" to help the police 
and fire brigade by keeping the crozvd back. 

Games 

n Dragging Race." — A line of patients of one patrol 
are laid out at fifty yards distance from start. Another 
patrol, each carrying a rope, run out, tie ropes to the 
patients, and drag them in. Time taken of last in. Pa- 
trols change places. The one which completes in shortest 
time wins. Knots must be correctly tied. 

(S.T.) 

Physical Exercises and Health Rules 

The simple physical exercises given in the earlier chap- 
ters will give you all the movements needed to keep you 
well and to help your growth if you only practise them. 
That is the secret. Set apart certain minutes in the day, 



HEALTH RULES FOR THE HOME 185 

especially in the early morning, and make it your habit 
to go through these exercises and you will make for your- 
self a wonderful difference in your health. 

But alongside this giving health to your body, you 
must see to it that your surroundings, your home, the air, 
your food, and your clothing are also health-giving, other- 
wise all the exercise in the world will not help you. 

Health Rules for the Home 

Scouts should do everything in their power to make and 
keep their homes healthy as well as happy. 

Most of you cannot choose your own dwelling, but 
w T hether you live in a house, a cottage, a flat, in rooms, 
or even in one room of a house, you can do a very great 
deal to keep it healthy and pure. 

Fresh air is your great friend ; it will help you to fight 
disease better than anything else. Open all your windows 
as often as you can, so that the air may get into every 
nook and corner. Never keep an unused room shut up. 
Disease germs, poisonous gases, mildew, insects, dust, 
and dirt have it all their own way in stale, used-up air. 
Air does not flow in and flow out of the same opening 
at the same time any more than water does, so you want 
two openings in a room — an open window to let the good 
air in, and a fireplace and chimney to let the stale air out, 
or whether there is no fireplace, a window open both at 
top and bottom. The night air in large towns is purer 
than the day air, and both in town and country you should 
sleep with your window open if you want to be healthy. 
Draughts are not good, as they carry away the heat from 



186 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

your body too fast ; so if your bed is too near the window, 
put up a shelter between it and the open window and 
cover yourself more. At least one window on a staircase 
or landing should always be kept open, and also the pantry 
and the closet windows. 

Tidiness. — Half your time will be saved if little things 
are kept tidy. Have a place for everything, and have 
everything in its place. If you are not sure which is the 
right place for a thing, think " Where, if I wanted it, 
should I go to look for it? " That place is the right one. 
Get into the habit of always making a ball of any string 
you get and collect them. 

War must be waged against rats and mice, or they will 
invade you and loot everything. If you have no mouse- 
traps, put a newspaper over a pail of water, break a hole 
slightly in the centre in the form of a star, and place a 
bit of cheese on the centre tips of star to entice the mouse. 
Let the paper reach to the floor, not too upright, for the 
mouse to climb up. Try putting broken camphor into 
their holes; they dislike the smell. Fly and wasp traps 
are made by tying paper over a tumbler half-filled with 
water and beer or molasses. Break a hole in the paper, 
and fit in a tube of rolled paper about one inch long and 
one inch across. 

Damp is never healthy, and you can prevent it to a 
great extent by letting plenty of fresh air go through 
your house and rooms which have been shut up. 

When you see signs of damp, try to find out the cause ; 
it may be put right. A pipe or gutter may have got 



HEALTH RULES FOR THE HOME 187 

blocked, or there may be a loose shingle, or the water 
pipes may be leaking. 

In countries where there are mosquitoes people are very 
careful not to allow any water to lie near their houses, for 
the poisonous mosquito breeds in stagnant water. Sun- 
flowers planted near a house help to keep the soil dry ; 
also low bushes and plants. Consumption and other 
deadly disease germs flourish in damp, ill-aired houses. 

Sunlight is a great health-giver and disinfectant, and 
the more of it you have in your house the better. Long 
ago people used to shut out the sun and air for fear their 
curtains and carpets would fade, but it is far better that 
the sun should fade your curtains than that the darkness 
should fade you. Cases of consumption are rare in dry, 
sunny houses. 

Nurseries and bedrooms should have plenty of morning 
and mid-day sun. 

Motto : "Tidy as you go!' 

Cleanliness in every part of the house is most neces- 
sary, especially kitchen and refrigerators. Do not let 
dust or rubbish collect anywhere, behind furniture or 
pictures, under beds, or in cupboards. If we realised 
what horrid things we may collect from pavement or 
street dust on our skirts and shoes, we should be much 
more careful about the dusting of our rooms. 

Do not allow dogs, cats, or birds to be where they can 
touch your food or your cooking utensils; animals have 
diseases too. Flies, gnats, and fleas are most dangerous 
pests ; they feed on decayed and diseased things, and may 
carry poison on their feet and leave it on your food. 



1 88 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Keep them out of your house, and especially chase them 
out of your kitchen and larder. Any bad smell in a house 
is a danger signal ; find out its cause, and get rid of it. 

(S.T.) 

Be sure your drinking water is pure. If you are at all 
doubtful about it, boil it well — that is, for not less than 
fifteen minutes. Water cisterns should be often cleaned 
out. See that all drains, sinks, and closets are in good 
order. A very poisonous gas called sewer gas comes 
from bad drains, and typhoid, diphtheria, etc., are caused 
by drinking bad water and bad drainage. The gas does 
not come up if there is a " trap " full of water in the 
pipe ; that is a curve in the pipe where water collects. 
Let water run down all sinks once or twice a day to rinse 
the pipes. To sum up, " Remember that nearly all the 
dangers to health in a house or room begin with a D, and 
these dangers or destroyers are : 

" Darkness. 

" Damp. 

" Dust. 

" Dirt. 

" Doubtful drinking water. 

u Defective drains. " 

Against these destroyers, which bring debility, disease 
and even death, the Scouts' defences are : 

" Sunlight. 
" Fresh air. 
" Cleanliness. " 



HEALTH RULES FOR THE HOME 189 

Housewifery. — Every Scout is as much a " house- 
wife " as she is a girl. She is sure to have to " keep 
house " some day, and whatever house she finds herself in, 
it is certain that that place is the better for her being 
there. 

Too many odds and ends and draperies about a room 
are only dust-traps, and rugs or carpet squares, which can 
be taken up easily, are better than nailed down carpets. 
Keep all the furniture clean and bright. Fresh air, soap, 
and water are the good housewife's best allies. Bars of 
soap should be cut up in squares and kept for six weeks 
before being used. This hardens it and makes it last 
longer. 

In scrubbing boarded floors, the secret is not to deluge 
the floor ; change the water in the pail frequently. 

In the work of cleaning think out your plan before- 
hand, so as not to dirty what has been cleaned. Plan 
out certain times for each kind of work and have your 
regular days for doing each thing. 

Pasteboards and Deal Tables. — Scrub hard the way 
of the grain. Hot water makes boards and tables yellow. 
Rinse in cold water and dry well. 

Saucepans. — New saucepans must not be used till 
they have first been filled with cold water and a little 
soda, and boiled for an hour or so, and must be well 
scoured. After bowls or saucepans have been used, fill 
them at once with cold water to the brim ; this will prevent 
anything hardening on the saucepan and will make clean- 
ing easier. 



190 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Swimming 

Swimming. — Every ist Class Scout ought to be able to 
swim. It is not only for her own amusement that she 
should do so, but so that she will not cause other people to 
risk their lives in rescuing her when she gets into difficul- 
ties in the water, and that she may be able to help those in 
distress. British girls are behindhand in learning to swim 
— it is very different in Norway and Sweden, or in Amer- 
ica, where nearly every girl can swim. 

Where a doctor says swimming is bad for her, or there 
is no possible means for her learning, such other badges 
that she does not hold may be accepted instead towards 
qualifying the Scout for her ist Class. 

No Scout can be of real use till she can swim, and to 
learn swimming is no more difficult than to learn bicy- 
cling. 

All you have to do is at first to try and swim like a dog, 
as if trying to crawl slowly along in the water; don't try 
all at once to swim with the ordinary breast stroke that 
swimmers use, because this only lets your mouth go under 
water every time. When paddling along like a dog get a 
friend to support you at first with a pole or his hand under 
your belly. 

Any of you who cannot swim as yet, and who fall into 
the water out of your depth, remember that you need 
not sink if you take care to do the following things. 
First, keep your mouth upwards by throwing the head 
well back. Secondly, keep your lungs full of air by tak- 
ing in long breaths, but breathe out very little. Thirdly, 



CHILD WELFARE 191 

keep your arms under water. To do this you should not 
begin to shout, which will only empty your lungs, and you 
should not throw your arms about or beckon for help, else 
you will sink. So the main thing of all is to keep cool and 
force vourself to remember and to carry out these things. 



x & - 



CHILD WELFARE 

There always are and always will be children to be 
care of. Perhaps there is no better way for a girl to 
help her country than to fit herself to undertake the care 
of children. She should learn all she can about them, 
and take eyery opportunity of helping to look after these 
small Boy and Girl Scouts of the future. Many girls 
are already doing this and are realizing that the Child 
Welfare badge is one of the most important in the whole 
list for a Scout to win. 

Health Habits 

Children are trained to regular habits in three ways ; 
first, by haying meals at fixed hours ; second, by having 
regular times for sleeping and waking; and third, by 
being taught when young to be clean and regular in their 
daily clear-out. They must have plenty of healthful, 
peaceful sleep and the earlier they go to bed the better for 
their brains and nerves in after life. The bedroom must 
be airy and quiet ; the windows kept open. 

Bath 

Xobody can be healthy unless he is clean, and cleanli- 
ness is one of the first habits you want Baby to form. 



192 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

So he should have a daily bath. The temperature for 
his bath should range from 8o° to 98 and you should 
be able to read the bath thermometer as well as the room 
thermometer. Before you undress Baby get together 
everything that you will need for the bath and dressing; 
your hand basin of warm water, soap, soft wash cloths 
and towels, comb and brush, etc., and his clothes laid out 
in the order in which you will put them on. 

It is handier as well as safer to begin baby laid on a 
table or bed rather than on your lap. He should of course 
have under him a soft towel or canton flannel. First 
wash his head carefully and rub it dry gently. Do the 
outer parts of his ears and let no water get inside them. 
The nose may be cleaned with a bit of cotton rolled to a 
point and the nails should be carefully cleaned. Then 
put him gently in the tub. Some people soap the baby 
first, and a soapy little baby wiggles, so hold him very 
firmly and comfortably, supporting his head all the time 
he is kicking and splashing in the tub. After you lift him 
out be careful to dry all the creases in his little body. It 
is perfectly proper for a baby to cry as much as twenty 
minutes every day till he begins to talk, and he may take 
his bath time for doing it, so don't scold him. A baby 
can be kept sweet and clean by a daily sponge bath. 

Food 

The baby needs proper food to build up his body. 
Milk is his only food for the first months of his life and 
even up to three years he takes mostly milk. 

For the first eight or nine months of a baby's life 



FOOD 193 

mother's milk is the best food for him, and if he is unfor- 
tunate enough to have to take his milk from a bottle you 
will have to learn the best kind of bottle to use and how 
to prepare it. Baby is very particular about his milk 
being fresh and good. 

Punctual feeding makes good digestion and even if he 
wants that extra nap it is better to wake a healthy baby 
to give him his meal at regular hours, than to let his diges- 
tion get out of order. Some babies are very punctual 
and feel it keenly if you do not feed them at the fixed 
hour. They will very likely let you know it too, and woe 
betide you if they find you have not properly boiled the 
bottle after each meal to sterilize it. Between meals a 
little drink of water which has been boiled and cooled 
(sterile water) will wash out his mouth as well as re- 
fresh him. Do not give a baby too much food at a time, 
and keep him on plain food. This applies to you as well 
as to baby. When the digestion is not right the appetite 
will not be good. Digestion makes the food you eat 
ready to be turned into muscle and bone and brain, and 
indigestion means that you have not used up the food you 
ate and therefore you have those uncomfortable pains in 
the middle of the night. Eat only the foods you know 
you can digest comfortably. 

By the time a child is two years old, he should have a 
well varied though simple bill of fare. This may include 
cereals such as well cooked oatmeal and cream of wheat, 
soft boiled eggs, fresh juice, (beef) milk puddings, milk 
toast, baked potatoes, apple sauce and chicken broth. 



194 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Clothing 

Children's clothes should be warm but light, and where 
possible should hang from the shoulders. The legs, par- 
ticularly the angles, should be kept warm and the feet dry. 

Sunshine, Air and Exercise 

Give a baby plenty of fresh air, out of doors if you can, 
avoiding drafty places. It gives him a better appetite, 
makes him sleep sounder and also helps to give him rosy 
cheeks, a sign of good red blood. 

Be careful that sheet and blankets do not get over a 
baby's head ; as this weight causes suffocation, so pin the 
covers to the side of the bed and let him have fresh air 
while he sleeps. 

No self respecting baby would ever by himself contract 
the u pacifier " habit and he should never be given a paci- 
fier. This article thrust into his mouth makes the upper 
jaw protrude, carries germs into a baby's mouth, some- 
times causes adenoids, is ugly to look at and finally doesn't 
really pacify. 

It does a baby good to lie down and kick about. Crawl- 
ing and climbing exercise his muscles. Don't let a baby 
walk too soon. Bow-legs come from standing and walk- 
ing while the bones are soft; also from under-nourish- 
ment. But if a child wants to walk, let him make the 
effort; he will not pull himself up unless he wants to 
try his muscles. Childhood is a time to form the body ; 
it cannot be altered much when you are grown up. Play- 
time should not come directly after feeding or before 
sleeptime. 



ILLNESSES 195 

Illnesses 

What will you do when you suddenly find that baby is 
ill? To call in the doctor is the first thing, that is, if there 
is a doctor. But when there is no doctor ! You will at 
once think of all the First Aid you have learned, and 
what you know of home nursing. Drugs are bad things. 
You may lay up trouble for a child by giving it soothing 
drugs and advertised medicines which sometimes make 
the baby stupid and may cause constipation. Never neg- 
lect the bowels if they become stopped up. This upsets 
digestion, poisons the baby and may help to bring on 
convulsions or other serious illnesses. If a child is suf- 
fering from a convulsion, lay him flat with his head on a 
pillow. Pat his head with cold water and put a hot bottle 
at his feet. If the convulsion continues put him in a 
warm bath of about 106 which is as hot as is comfort- 
able for your bare elbow, but you must not keep cold 
cloths on his head. Use very gentle artificial respiration 
not trying to straighten the arms. Of course you will 
keep a baby away from anyone who has a contagious 
disease. 

You can very easily train a young child to obey, but 
after three years old it becomes more difficult unless a 
good start has been made. Children expect you to be 
just. If you are good tempered and patient a child will 
stand a good deal of firmness, but slapping and scolding 
ruin young tempers. Answer a child's question without 
ridicule. He is feeling his way in this great big world, 
and you once asked foolish questions, too. 



196 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Proficiency Badges 

Whenever I see a Scout coming along I feel at once a 
friendly interest in her, but when she comes nearer that 
interest either increases or goes off a bit when I look 
at her right arm and see on it badges — or no badges. 

Every Scout, as soon as she has passed the Second 
Class tests, can go in for proficiency badges. These 
badges are not intended for swagger, but to show that 
you can do things. On the left arm you will wear those 
badges which mean that you are good at work that is 
useful to other people, and these are the important 
badges ; while on the right arm the badges show the sort 
of Scout that you are, that is whether you are efficient 
or not in different branches of Scout work. 

There are a very large number of badges on the list 
which you can go in for, but it does not mean that you are 
to try and get them all, but rather that you may look 
through the list and find out which are most likely to 
suit you and then to go in for one or two of those. The 
most important of all the badges are those for nursing. 
They are important to the Scout herself, because through 
practising this work she can most easily carry out the 
Scout law of doing good turns to other people, and these 
would be good turns which really are useful. Also by 
knowing how to nurse she can do good work for her 
country. 

The Value of Nursing. — In the great war hundreds 
and hundreds of women have gone to act as nurses in the 
hospitals, for the wounded and have done splendid work 



PROFICIENCY BADGES 197 

They will no doubt be thankful all their lives that while 
they were yet girls they learnt how to nurse and how to 
do hospital work, so that they were useful when the call 
came for them. But there are thousands and thousands 
of others who wanted to do the work when the time came, 
but they had not like Scouts been Prepared, and they 
had never learnt how to nurse, and so they were per- 
fectly useless and their services were not required in the 
different hospitals. So carry out your motto and Be 
Prepared and learn all you can about hospital and child 
nursing, sick nursing, and every kind, while you are yet 
a Scout and have people ready to instruct you and to help 
you in learning. 

Child nursing is also very important, because so many 
girls are wanted now to help mothers in looking after 
their children. Such a large number of babies die every 
year from being nursed by girls who have never taken the 
trouble to learn what they ought to do with children. 
Babies are delicate little things, and a very little act of 
carelessness or want of knowledge of what to do often 
causes the death of one who might otherwise have grown 
up to be a valuable citizen for the country. On becoming 
a Scout you promise to Be Prepared to do your duty 
in every possible way, and one very important way is that 
of nursing children as well as grown ups ; and therefore 
I hope that you will learn as quickly as possible how to 
carry out this duty and so to carry out your work as a 
Scout in the proper spirit. Therefore I recommend you 
to take as the most important ones, the Ambulance Badge, 
the Child Nurse Badge, and the Home Nursing; after 




198 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

which you can look through the list and pick out others 
for which you feel that you are particularly keen, or for 
which there are instruction classes for Scouts that you 
can attend. Set those badges up before you and do your 
best to win some of them. 

Where to wear the Badges. — The First and Second 
Class Badge is worn on the left arm. It should be placed 
about half-way between the elbow and the 
shoulder strap, so as not to be covered by the 
shoulder knot. 

The Ambulance, Home Nurse, and Child 
Nurse Badges are also worn on the left arm, 
just below the Second and First Class Badges. 
All the other Proficiency Badges are worn on the right 
arm. They are sewn on as they are won, starting at the 
bottom of the sleeve, just above the cuff, and growing 
upwards in couples as the Scout becomes more and more 
proficient. 

The War Service Badge is worn above the right-hand 
breast pocket. 

The Attendance Stars are worn in a horizontal row 
just above the left-hand breast pocket. 

The War Service Badge. — Is granted to Scouts who 
have done special service for their country during the 
Great War. It is worn above the right breast pocket. 

Golden Eaglet 

To secure this honor a Girl Scout must win the fol- 
lowing badges : Ambulance and First Aid, Clerk, Cook, 
Child Nurse, Dairymaid, Matron, Musician, Needle- 



PROFICIENCY BADGES 



199 



woman, Naturalist, Home Nurse, Pathfinder, Pioneer, 
Signaler, Swimmer, Athletics, Health or Civics. In case 
a swimming badge is impossible two badges not already 
earned may be substituted.) 

Life-Saving Medals 

These are worn on the right breast and are awarded 
as follows : — 

Bronze Cross (Red Ribbon). — Presented as the high- 
est possible award for gallantry. It can only be worn 




Bronze and Silver Cross 
for Saving Life. 




Gilt Medal of Merit. 



where the claimant has shown special heroism or has faced 
extraordinary risk of life in saving life. 

Silver Cross (Blue Ribbon). — For gallantry, with con- 
siderable risk to herself. 

Badge of Merit (Gilt Wreath— White Ribbon).— 



200 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

For a Scout who does her duty exceptionally well, though 
without grave risks to herself. 

Thanks Badge. — It is the privilege of any Scout, of 
whatever rank, to present this Badge of Thanks to any 
one who does a Scout a good turn. It entitles the wearer 
to make use of the services of any Scout at any time, 
but does not constitute membership. 

Hockey a Fine Game 

I should like to see everything that calls itself a girl 
playing it. Yet there are thousands and thousands of 
girls who have never yet even seen it played — much 
less played it themselves. 

I should like all of them to play it, not only once but 
regularly, and this is why. 

Because it gives them health and strength through active 
exertion in the open air; it gives them a jolly time and 
lots of excitement, happiness, and laughter ; it makes them 
quick with eye, hand, and foot ; it makes them all good pals 
together; it teaches them to take hard knocks without 
winking such as at other times would make them faint or 
swear. 

It teaches them to play unselfishly and to pass the ball 
on. It gives them pluck, it gives them hope, for even 
when things look bad there is often the possibility of 
winning by an extra effort. They learn to stick to rules 
and to obey orders, to play fair and to stop sneaking, 
underhand play. 

In a word, they learn to play the game for their side 
and not for themselves. 



A SCOUT IS A LADY 201 

Well, that is just what our soldiers at the front are 
doing, playing the game nobly for their country at no 
matter what danger to their own life or limb. 

It's just what we want of all Americans in the future 
— women as well as men — to think of their country and 
other people first ; to obey the laws and play the game for 
the good of others bravely and hopefully, without caring 
what hard knocks they get themselves. 

Could not some of you who can afford to play hockey 
yourselves managed to help some other girls to play it too ? 

Think what joy it would bring into their lives, what 
health and brightness you could offer them and what 
good and friendly citizens you could make them. 

A Scout Is a Lady 

What is a Lady? — This is what I saw the other day 
in the Subway. The seats were all crowded when a 
smart-looking girl got in. A wounded soldier with a 
bandaged foot and a walking stick stood up rather pain- 
fully and offered her his seat. The girl plumped herself 
down comfortably and she did not give him a look or 
even a word of thanks. A pale woman then rose and 
said to him, " I can stand better than you ; you got hurt 
for me," and made him take her place. 

One of these two women was a lady. Can you guess 
which ? 

The Frogs in the Cream 

Oh, there is one more thing that hockey teaches. Often 
you lose a game, but you do not therefore lose your 



202 



SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 



temper or lose your happiness for, as a Scout, you at 
once cheer the winners and forget to be put out by it. 

But you don't lose every game. Very often it will 
look as if it was going against you and there seems 
little chance of winning when, just near the end, the 
other side give out or get careless, and by sheer sticking 




Perseverance : Frogs in the cream. 

to it you win a goal or two in the last few minutes and 
come out victorious in the end. 

Well, it is sticking to it which is so tremendously valu- 
able, not only in the game, but also for getting on as a 
Scout, and afterwards in getting on in life. 

Two frogs, out for a walk one day, came upon a bowl 
of cream, into which they fell. Thinking it a new kind 
of water and that it was hopeless trying to swim, one 
was drowned through having no pluck. The other strug- 



HAPPY HOUSEMAIDS SINGING HYMNS 203 

gled hard to keep afloat. Just when he felt he must 
give up a curious thing happened. In his struggles he 
had churned up the cream so much that he found him- 
self standing safe on a pat of butter ! 

If you learnt nothing else from Scouting than this 
little story of the frogs, try, at any rate, to remember 
that; and when you feel you are failing at your job 
just think of it; remind yourself of the frogs — and 
stick to it. 

Happy Housemaids Singing Hymns 

Someone asked me the other day why it is that house- 
maids, when they are at work, are always droning most 
dreary hymn tunes. Well, I couldn't say exactly why 
they do it, but I like to hear it, because people who sing 
at their work evidently don't find it a drudgery or irk- 
some. 

I was at a great aeroplane factory the other day, where 
the manager had encouraged his men in their spare time 
to form a band, and he supplied the funds for helping 
them to get instruments, music, etc. 

When they began to get rather good at it they, like all 
amateur musicians, began to fancy themselves, and said 
that they would like to get some high-class classical music 
to play. 

But he said : " Not a bit of it, I want you to play all 
the tunes that you can get, provided that they are jolly 
ones." 

Then he used to make the men march to their work- 
shops with their band playing, and for the rest of the 



204 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

morning, instead of working sullenly and grudgingly 
at their machines, the men were whistling and singing the 
tunes that were running in their heads, and the work 
consequently was better done and more of it was got 
through than would otherwise have been possible. 

So the wretched Girl Scouts, when they are forced to 
play these dulll games and to do the terrible hard work 
of Scouting, need something to cheer them up. All they 
have to do is to learn a few jingles and to sing them, 
stamp, bang, or whistle them as they go along, and they 
are sure to feel the better for it. 

Patrol Leaders 

When you come to be a Patrol Leader you must re- 
member that you are really taking up a very responsible 
and important position, because you are going to be in 
charge of a number of girls under you, who will form 
their characters entirely under your example and guid- 
ance, and if you choose to be a slacker they will become 
slackers, if you choose to be a good Scout they will all 
become good Scouts, or nearly all of them. That is very 
much dependent on you yourself. So don't become a 
Patrol Leader merely for the swagger of it or the sake 
of wearing an extra badge or two, but really think whether 
you are fitted to lead those girls, and take it up with 
the best of your ability to make good Scouts of them. 
You have got to command your Patrol; well, you can 
only command others if you have their confidence, and 
you can only have their confidence if you have confidence 
in yourself ; you can only have confidence in yourself by 



PATROL LEADERS 205 

knowing your work thoroughly and well. You should 
therefore study the handbook, learn all about Scouting, 
what it aims for, and then how you can carry out the 
instructions given ; practise the things yourself that are 
shown you, know that you can do the different things well ; 
and then you will be able to have confidence in yourself, 
your Scouts will obey your orders, and so you will be able 
to carry out the training of them and their discipline per- 
fectly well. You lead entirely by your own personal ex- 
ample, don't forget that; that is what tells, and that is 
the easy way to gain success ; not only the easy way, but 
it is the only way. 

As a Leader you must be the best at carrying out the 
Scout Law in your Patrol, the others will follow you in 
it ; you must be the captain also in all the games ; you 
must be the first in every venture; you must be the one 
to suggest good games, good ideas, good thoughts. If 
you are the first in every way like this your girls will 
follow your leads and you will have good discipline among 
them. Your aim should, of course, be to make your 
Patrol the best, and if every Patrol tries to be the best in 
the Troop, you may be sure that that Troop will be a 
very good one amongst other Troops. 

You should take counsel among your Scouts as to 
what they fancy themselves at, and then challenge an- 
other Patrol to have a competition in that particular line, 
whatever it may be, whether Signalling, or Ambulance 
Work, or playing a game of Hockey, or baseball, or any- 
thing you like ; but continually challenge other Patrols 
to beat you at your own game, and then practise your 



206 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

game well and make yourselves efficient at it, so as you 
do not get beaten. For every game the whole Patrol 
should form the team. Don't have one or two good 
players and the rest no use at all; and don't have in- 
dividual competition, one girl against another, but al- 
ways try and have your Patrol as a team, then the worst 
will try and make themselves better in order to play up 
the average of the lot, and so play for the good of the 
Patrol and not of themselves. If possible, give each of 
your Scouts her own job to do in the Patrol. You may 
find one good at one thing, another good at another; 
well, urge her to do her particular job, and to do it 
well for the benefit and honour of the Patrol. You will 
have one little difficult point that you must keep an eye 
on; when you are trying to lead the Patrol and at the 
same time to show them the way, don't forget that you 
must not do the work of other girls. Give each one her 
job and see that she does it, but don't do it for her, or else 
she will always be leaning on you and expecting you 
to do it. 

A Patrol can specialise, that is, all members to take 
one special badge, or a bit of ribbon will do, that a Patrol 
may be a Despatch Riding Patrol, or a Signalling Patrol, 
First Aid Patrol, a Home Helping Patrol, or even an 
Entertaining Patrol. All the members of the Patrol win 
a certain Proficiency Madge, then that Patrol may be 
recommended by the Captain to have the honour of wear- 
ing that badge on its flag. I have known a great deal 
of good to come of a Patrol challenging a Patrol in an- 
other Troop to some sort of competition, and then going 



EXAMPLE OF A DISPLAY 207 

to visit the other Patrol or inviting them to visit them- 
selves at their own headquarters and entertaining them 
and having their competition and making great friends 
with them; this leads to very good feeling between dif- 
ferent Troops, and is very useful, because you can 
often pick up ideas from Patrols of another Troop better 
than you can from one of your ow r n Troops. In camp a 
Patrol is a very useful unit because a whole Patrol can 
just pitch into one tent or probably into one room or 
barn, or wherever it may be, and there the Patrol Lead- 
er's duties are very responsible, because she has to keep 
order in her own tent and see that it is properly kept clean 
and tidy. 

Example of an English Display 

A Scout Hostel. — Scene : Inside a Scout Headquar- 
ters, fitted with bed, stretcher table, cooking stove, cup- 
board, Scout Law, etc. 

Patrol at right of stage learning electricity and telegra- 
phy. 

Patrol at left of stage bathing, dressing, and feeding 
model baby. 

In centre Brownies learning a dance ; all under their 
Patrol Leaders to demonstrate the method of instruc- 
tion in the Scouts. 

After short demonstration one of the telegraph Scouts 
stops all work by saying that she has intercepted a wire- 
less message saying " Air raid coming on." 

Patrols immediately fall in under their leaders, one as 
stretcher party and the other as first-aiders, with haver- 



208 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

sacks, etc., and march out to render assistance to police, 
etc. 

Brownies, meantime, clear up the place, make bed 
ready, get out lint and bandages, etc., from cupboards, boil 
up kettle, put away electrical apparatus, etc. 

Re-enter Scout leading a fat old lady, telling her she 
will be quite safe here. Old lady very flustered and very 
grateful. Brownies take charge of her, giving her a 
chair, and make her comfortable. As the Scout goes out 
the old lady calls after her and tells her she has dropped 
her handbag somewhere in the street. Doesn't know 
where, dare not go out to look for it, but hopes that the 
Scout will; which she does smilingly. 

Wretched woman with baby and crying children 
brought in next by another Scout, and made comfortable 
by Brownies. Fussy old gentleman, cantankerous old 
woman also come hustling in, led by Scouts, some lost 
children are brought in howling, also any number of 
other characters can be devised among your actors, in- 
cluding one man who will insist on making speeches 
against the Government for not stopping these raids. 

When the room becomes full of them they all keep talk- 
ing at once of their various grievances, and the children 
howling; bombs are heard without (bang of a drum or 
box full of old tins dropped), at each side of which all 
shriek, are silent for a moment or two, and then recom- 
mence their jabber. 

Finally, half the Scouts having returned, they set to 
work to prepare food and hand it round to the people, 
which very soon quiets them, except the speech-maker, 



HINTS AS TO CAMP ORDERS 209 

who seizes the opportunity of the others becoming quiet 
to make his speech with greater fervor. The Scouts stop 
him by putting a sack over his head and bundling him 
into a corner. 

Then the stretcher party bring in an injured person, 
who is bandaged and put to bed. Others have slight 
wounds bound up and treated, and the Scouts then set 
to work with rugs and blankets and make beds on the 
floor for the whole party. 

They then all go to bed comfortably on the floor. 

Two Scouts remain on duty, the others lying down to 
sleep also. 

{Curtain.) 

Hints as to Camp Orders 

In going into camp it is essential to have a few " Stand- 
ing Orders " published, which can be added to from time 
to time, if necessary. These should be carefully ex- 
plained to patrol leaders, who should then be held fully 
responsible for their Scouts carrying them out exactly. 

Such orders might point out that each patrol will camp 
separately from the others, and that there will be a com- 
parison between the respective cleanliness and good order 
of tents and surrounding ground. 

Patrol leaders to report on the good work or otherwise 
of their Captains, which will be recorded in the Captain s 
books of marks. 

Bathing under strict supervision to prevent non-swim- 
mers getting into dangerous water. No girl must bathe 
when not well. 



210 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Bathing picket of two good swimmers will be on duty 
while bathing is going on, and ready to help any girl 
in distress. This picket will be in the boat {undressed) 
zvith bathing costume and overcoat on. They may only 
bathe when the general bathing is over and the last of 
the bathers has left the water. 

Orders as to what is to be done in case of fire alarm. 

Orders as to boundaries, grounds to be worked over, 
damages to fences, property, good drinking zvater, etc. 

No Scout allowed out of bounds without leave. 

No boy allozved inside bounds without leave. 



PART III 

CITIZEN SCOUTS 
(Over 16) 



SENIOR SCOUTS 

Even before the war came girls had begun to find 
that there were better things in the world for them to 
do than merely spend half their time ^ 

in getting up their dresses and the 
other half in showing them off : there 
was enjoyment to be got without 
playing tennis, reading novels and so 
on; some of them had supposed that 
going to dances or loafing on the pier 
or in the street was the only way to 
get enjoyment, but others saw that 
this was really a great waste of time 
that became very boring after a bit. 
A vast number of them had seen that 
they were capable of doing a great 
many of the things that their brothers 
could do : they could play in a lot of 
games and take part in activities and also could do a good 
deal in the direction of work and handcraft, also they 

211 




Loafing on the pier. 



212 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

found that they could do well in professions and in- 
dustries ; they found that careers were open to them. 
Girls found at last that they had the power to make 
some use of their lives instead of drifting through them 
aimlessly and getting only a very hollow enjoyment out 
of them. 

THE CITIZEN SCOUT 

One of the most notable English statesman said in the 
fourth year of the Great War: 

" I am anxious to bear testimony to the tremendous part 
played by the women in England in this vital epoch of 
human history. They have not only borne their burden 
of sorrow and separation with unflinching fortitude and 
patience but they have an enormous share of the burdens 
necessary to the practical conduct of the war. 

" To their ennobling influence we look not only for 
strength to win the war, but for inspiration during the 
great work of reconstruction we will have to undertake 
after victory is won." 

This is becoming true in American also. Never be- 
fore have our national ideals been so clearly defined ; 
never before have we realized the relative values of 
life. 

One hundred years ago democracy was a masculine 
noun. Women worked loyally in the home for hus- 
band, son and brother. The war came and suddenly they 
found themselves working for all men who were holding 
high the ideals of the American home and the American 
nation. By assuming these responsibilities, women have 



THE CITIZEN SCOUT 213 

entered unconsciously into active citizenship from which 
there is no retreat. 

The great experiment is here. American girls are 
showing that they are made of the same stuff as their 
sturdy forefathers, and by thousands are entering un- 
tried and difficult fields and finding themselves capable 
of doing a great many things that their brothers and 
fathers have heretofore done. Handcraft, industries and 
professions have all been opened to young women. They 
are working in farm and field, factory and railway, bank 
and business office, hospital and camp, canteen and recon- 
struction. Girls and women with clear heads and adapta- 
bility are entering in amazing numbers into business and 
professional life, proving that their brains are not in- 
ferior to those of men. They have been keen to take 
up new tasks and quick to learn unfamiliar processes and 
their employers have been generous in acknowledging 
that skill comes only with practice. 

But the authorities found on examining women for their 
new employments, that the lack was not entirely or 
fundamentally that of technical training but that a pre- 
liminary course was needed particularly in health knowl- 
edge and in discipline. These things would have been 
useful in any line of work, whether for war or for peace, 
and we are now awake to the necessity of such train- 
ing. If a girl is to be equally efficient with her brother 
for work in the world, she must be given equal chances 
with him, equal chances for gaining character and skill 
discipline and bodily health, and equal chances for using 
these when she has got them. 



214 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Therefore the Citizen Scout was started, in order that 
girls with a sound body and disciplined mind should be 
able to help their country in many different ways after 
this tremendous world struggle. 

Every Citizen Scout should have a vocation which she 
has chosen and by which she can support herself. If 
one can work at some congenial employment all the bet- 
ter, but even an apparently stupid occupation can be 
made interesting by a realization of the part it plays in 
the world of industry by which we all live, and one can 
get great pleasure out of work well done, even if it is 
only oiling a machine successfully. Wouldn't it make 
the daily labor more interesting to combine head with 
hand? For instance to put heads on pins all day long 
in a factory sounds monotonous, but the people to whom 
pin making is interesting find out what pins are made of, 
where the metal is found, how many things pins are used 
for; what people used as substitutes before pins were 
made. Once in England, a man took so small a thing as 
a needle for the subject of a play which has been well 
known ever since; Gammer Gurton's Needle. The ma- 
chines which make the pins and needles are to-day marvels 
of skill developed through centuries of patient labor 
of head and hand. Farm labor is toilsome, but the life 
of the race depends on the products of field and pasture, 
and the Citizen Scout who works on the land is helping 
to feed the world. 

But success in an industrial or professional career is 
neither the end nor the greatest joy of a girl's life. 
Home making is after all the vocation which calls most 



THE CITIZEN SCOUT 215 

naturally and most deeply to a woman and is most worthy 
of her best efforts. However independent and self re- 
liant a girl may be, the finding of her life comrade, the 
settling of her own home and the bringing up of her 
little ones are the biggest happiness that can be had in 
this world. Nature never meant a man or woman to 
live alone, and though bachelors may think themselves 
happy and free, they cannot realize the intense delight 
that comes with the home, the married comradeship and 
the children. There a woman has her real opportunity 
and her kingdom, and at the same time her responsibility. 
She is the making or the marring of the house, and her 
influence will rule her children all through their after 
life. If she recognizes this and shoulders her duty 
with that idea in mind she can in forming her children's 
character do a tremendous thing for each of them and 
a valuable service for the nation. 

But to be the right sort of comrade to her husband 
and her children a girl must have known work herself. 
She must have gone through the struggle against failure 
and have enjoyed the triumph of success to be able fully 
to sympathize with her partner in his troubles and to be 
of use in helping him through them. A house mother is 
a money spender not a money getter, and her work is 
really much harder than his. A wise educator has said: 
11 I will undertake to guarantee the stability of our Ameri- 
can democratic institutions if you will see to it that 
American wives are taught how best to spend the money 
their husbands earn. Somewhere in that last ten per 
cent of a man's income are hidden away his present 



J 



216 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

happiness and future prospects, and those of his 
children. 

The women of America must see to it that as far as 
lies in their power the vast resources of this great coun- 
try are carefully conserved and wisely expended. 

To be a valuable citizen the first qualification is an 
understanding of the organization and administration of 
one's government. With more knowledge of the prin- 
ciples for which our government really stands there will 
come to the thinking American girl a desire to help 
definitely in the administration of those principles. Real 
social service will develop every Citizen Scout, give her 
a broader vision of life, awaken her sympathy and 
clear her intellect so that when she casts her vote she 
will do it with intelligence and with civic pride. 

Qualifications for Citizen Scouts 

To become a Citizen Scout a girl must be 17 years 
old, or over, and she must declare her belief in the civic 
ideals of : 

1. Good health — by trying to attain the Girl Scout 
standard of physical health. 

2. Vocational Skill — by being willing to perfect her- 
self in some work by which she can earn her living. 

3. Public Service — by pledging herself to some pub- 
lic service, either individually or in her troop. 

Any Girl Scout over seventeen shall be eligible for 
promotion to " Citizen Scout. " When there are enough 
Citizen Scouts in any troop they may form a Citizen 
Scout patrol under their own patrol leader, in the same 



QUALIFICATIONS FOR CITIZEN SCOUTS 217 

troop where they were formerly Scouts, or separate 
troops of Citizen Scouts may be formed if desired, either 
by ex-Scouts or by young women who have not been 
Scouts before. The number of members for Citizen 
Scout patrol or troop is not limited. One member will 
be elected Troop leader, and other officers may be elected 
as found desirable. A Troop may, if it likes, choose a 
member of the Local Committe or any woman in the 
community in w T hose sympathy and judgment they have 
confidence to act as " counsellor and friend. " Or they 
may refer to the local director or to the chairman of 
Girl Scout Captain Association when any difficulty arises, 
or they may be quite independent of any control outside 
of their own troop, except the Council and Local Com- 
mittee. 

A Citizen Scout troop may adopt any crest of the list 
authorized by Headquarters but a crest is not obligatory. 

Each Citizen Scout must pay an annual registration 
fee of 25 cents to National Headquarters. 

A Citizen Scout is expected to make the regular Girl 
Scout promise and in addition to accept for herself the 
three ideals of good citizenship. — Good Health, Voca- 
tional Skill, and Public Service. 

Motto, " Be Prepared." 

Badge : The Trefoil. To the Citizen Scout the badge 
stands not only for the three parts of the Scout promise, 
but also for the three civic ideals. 

Citizen Scouts use the regular Girl Scout Salute. 
(See p. 000.) 

The uniform consists of : 



218 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Khaki long coat (or Norfolk suit). 
Khaki hat. 

G.S. (Girl Scout) on collar, or coat lapels. 

Hat band with Tenderfoot badge on it. 

Instead of the full uniform a Citizen Scout may wear 
a brassard of khaki with stencilled trefoil and letters 
G.S. to which she may add the crest of her troop. The 
Troop leader's insignia is a % inch red ribbon around the 
left arm above elbow. This may be put on uniform or 
brassard. 

Citizen Scouts may work for the same proficiency 
badges as Girl Scouts. They are recommended to qualify 
for the progressive badge, especially if they have al- 
ready won the Proficiency badges. 

A Citizen Scout who has been a Girl Scout may con- 
tinue wearing her badge or she may wear the stripes to 
indicate the number of badges secured. One stripe de- 
notes five badges; two stripes denote ten, and three de- 
note fifteen badges. 

Citizen Scout Ideals 

Under the three civic ideals of Good Health, Vocational 
Skill and Public Service certain activities are suggested 
from which the Citizen Scout may choose. 

I. " I WILL MAKE MYSELF PHYSICALLY PERFECT." 

The Government requires that its employees shall pass 
a physical examination to determine their fitness for 
service. It is strongly recommended that every Citizen 
Scout shall determine her own physical fitness by a similar 



SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES 219 

examination given by some competent physician. In this 
way she may discover any weakness or defect and remedy 
it by exercise, rest or medical care. An annual examina- 
tion of one's body is a strong asset for a long life. 

The best body to have is one which is in such good 
health that its owner does not need to think about it. 
It serves her constantly and faithfully. The rules for 
keeping such a servant are : 

Absolute cleanliness in body and clothing. 

Daily exercise and rest in proper amounts. 

Sufficient good plain food at regular intervals. 

Plenty of fresh air and sunshine. 
A Citizen Scout should have a definite knowledge of 
personal health and of her own physical constitution and 
powers ; should know the dangers of disease, and the 
effects of the social evil. 

A Citizen Scout should also understand the health 
conditions in her own neighborhood and have full in- 
formation as to food, water, and milk supply, the ashes 
and garbage disposal, street cleaning and other matters 
relating to the public health in her community. 

Suggested Activities 

Gymnasium Exercises. 

Organized sports and games, with teams for competi- 
tions against other Scout troops, Y. W. C. A. Jewish 
Alliance, schools, colleges or other organizations. 

Troop hikes, indoor social games, and dancing. 

Debates, talks by public health officers, readings on 
topics relating to household and civic sanitation. These 



220 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

should be linked up with some sort of actual community 
public health work such as milk or food inspection, school 
inspection, work of visiting nurse and school doctor, 
anti-tuberculosis campaigns, etc. 

Advanced First Aid. 
Advanced Home Nursing. 
Badges : Ambulance. 

Athletics. 

Public Health. 

Home Nursing. 

Special Health Award 

Citizen Scouts who attain to the Girl Scout standard 
of health shall be known as Super Scouts or Senior 
Scouts, and they shall be allowed to arrange the Girl 
Scout inter-troop athletic meets and competitions, calling 
upon the various captains of Girl Scout troops in the 
community and also Citizen Scouts to furnish girls to 
make up the teams. The Citizen Scouts may coach teams 
and shall act as umpires and referees in the games. 

II. " I WILL BE ABLE TO EARN MY OWN LIVING. " 

Among the subjects Citizen Scouts may take up are 
nursing, child nursing, wood working, metal working, 
design, interior decoration, stenographer, typewriting, 
journalism, telegraphy, dress-design, dressmaking, sales- 
manship, cooking, marketing, ■ farming, gardening, and 
all varieties of trades. 

Groups of Citizen Scouts would find much pleasure 



SPECIAL VOCATIONAL AWARD 



221 



and profit, if they would undertake some quite different 
line from their daily occupation such as basket making, 
modeling, pottery, book-binding, upholstery, or any other 
branch of industrial or fine arts. 

If a troop of Citizen Scouts wishes to study industrial 
problems in their own trade or trades where other girls 
are employed, meetings may be arranged between the 
groups of girls in the different occupations. A sympa- 
thetic understanding of others needs will tend to create 
a better social stability. Self perfection and vocational 
advancement need not necessarily lead to selfishness and 
fancied superiority. In these discussions or debates out- 
siders may be invited to take part. A successful business 
woman might come to give her experience and help in 
the discussion. A troop scrap book of clippings from 
newspapers and magazines showing what is going on in 
the industrial world will be of interest 



Badges 



Artist 


Automobiling 


Child nurse 


Clerk 


Cook 


Invalid 


Dairy 


Electricity 


Farmer 


Gardening 


Home nursing 


Housekeeper 


Interpreter 


Laundress 


Music 


Needlewoman 


Photography 


Scribe 


Telegraphy 







Special Vocational Award 

Home maker. — To win this a Citizen Scout must hold 
the cook, laundress, needlewoman, housekeeper, and home 
nurse's badges, and must actually take charge of her 



222 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

home for a period of three months, keeping the accounts, 
and superintending all the housework that is done when 
she cannot do it all herself. 

Industrial Worker. — To win this badge a Citizen Scout 
must support herself for at least three months, and bring 
a certificate from her employer to prove she has done this. 

III. " I WILL SERVE MY COUNTRY/' 

Each Citizen Scout troop should when possible, take up 
some definite form of public service. When such group 
work is not possible, each individual can find real public 
service opportunities open in any number of fields. 

Scouting gets its "punch " from actual participation 
in doing things worth while. Therefore, use study clubs, 
lectures, books, etc. ; as may be necessary but base your 
tests on actual deeds performed. First a follower 
(learner) and then a leader. A Citizen Scout can ob- 
serve and study law-making in progress in a local board 
of supervisors of a county or city council or state legis- 
lature: or report on a session of court covering at least 
one full legal case. She might visit the freight terminal, 
and follow the milk delivery to the door of the con- 
sumer ; or find a voluntary job in a creche, hospital or 
old ladies' home, and do something worth while for 
thirty hours. She might attend a meeting of the School 
Board ; help with school luncheons, and follow the work 
of the school nurse in the home. Any girl who will 
follow up any department of government and actually 
take part in it for a week — whether in street cleaning 
or reading to blind old ladies — will always thereafter 



BADGES 223 

have a different attitude toward civic affairs in that 
field. 

Each Citizen Scout should find her own field and cul- 
tivate it: devote so many hours actual participation and 
report on it; develop qualities of leadership for her 
patrol ; assist a captain of younger Girl Scout troop ; 
take over the village park, the care of a public library, 
provide summer outings for poor children, conduct a 
camp, helping a teach, etc. District nursing offers many 
chances for voluntary effort. Sunday school teaching, 
Y. W. C. A. work, Girl's Friendly Societies, Big Sisters, 
all provide good opportunities. Red Cross and other 
patriotic organizations need helpers. No one should live 
to herself alone these days. Your country needs you 
now — not next week or when you have leisure, but now. 
The girl who doesn't respond never will be worth what 
she might be. What are you going to do about it ? Do it 
now ! 

Badges 

Public Health. 

Civics. 

Special Civic Award. — Must hold a civics badge, and 
carry out some definite investigation of civic matters, 
and report on it in an article of 500 words or more, or 
must carry through some public service for a period 
of at least three months. 

The Badges are similar to those for Girl Scouts with 
a red border round them. 

Badges are also given to girls who qualify in technical 



224 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

or continuation schools, or in some cases in their now 
factories or workshops. These are grouped as follows : 

Activities for Citizen Scouts 
Grot p t. Nursing Service. 
Medical Student. 
Home Nursing. 
Convalescent Nursing. 
Child Nursing. 
Hospital Nursing. 
Masseuse. 
Physical Trainer. 

Groud 2. Arts and Crafts. 
Architects. 
Artists. 

Embroiderer and Lace Maker. 
Designer. 
Wood-worker. 
Sculptor and Modeller 
Metal worker. 
Musician. 
Photographer. 
Acting and reciting. 
Dancing. 

Group 3. Professional. 
Accountant. 
School Teacher. 
Secretary. 
Journalist. 



ACTIVITIES FOR CITIZEN SCOUTS 225 

Motorist. 
Telegraphist. 

Group 4. Manufacturer. 
Textile worker. 
Leather worker. 
Toy maker. 
Confectioner. 
Dressmaker. 

Group. 5. Commercial. 
Clerk. 

Saleswoman. 
Traveller. 

Foreign Correspondent. 
Manager. 

Group 6. Housework. 

Cook. 

Domestic Science. 

Parlourmaid. 

Housemaid. 

Group 7. Outdoor work. 
Agriculture. 
Dairy farming. 
Horticulture. 
Poultry farming. 
Bee keeping. 
Fruit growing. 
Market gardening. 
Naturalist. 



226 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

The badge for these is a coloured Badge round the arm. 
When a Student passes a higher examination of the tech- 
nical school, she obtains a further Badge of a crown to 
add to the stripe. 

In many places the leaders of Scout troops have felt the 
need of more training for the work they were doing with 
their girls, and so Training Schools have been established, 
or classes have been organized under the auspices of a 
local Council. In some cases regular troops of older girls 
have been organized for the purpose of training them to be 
Girl Scout leaders. Such " Officers' Training Troops " 
offer excellent opportunities for girls to learn all the 
Scout practices and activities, and at the same time how 
to manage troops, by the best possible method — that of 
actually doing it. 

Discipline 

In training vourself to be an officer vou will recoraise 
that in order to command obedience you have yourself to 
understand how to obey. It is only by practising your 
own self-discipline that you will see how to develop it in 
others. 

Responsibility 

As an officer you will be a responsible person in author- 
ity. You will not have others to turn to for instruction, 
you will have to devise your own plans and to put them 
into action for yourself. You will be trusted and expected 
to do these things. 



LEADERSHIP 



227 



Sympathy and Fairness 

In dealing with those under you you must have sym- 
pathy with each individual. Each one of them has a dif- 
ferent mind and a different capacity ; this you have to take 
into account, and you must remember that success will 
only come where you get their whole-hearted enthusiasm 
for the work. The successful officer never drives — she 
leads. 

Leadership 

So the Scout officer leads her girls by her own example, 
whether it is in 




j\V^ '° ML 

" Come on, Lads ! " " Go on, you " 

her Character that is patience, good temper, keenness, 
and zeal, 
or 

her Skill at handcraft, 
or 

her Service in doing good turns and readiness to sacri- 
fice her time, money, or even life itself for others, 
or 



228 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

her Development of her own health and strength in 
order to fit her to carry out her life's work. 

The Joy of Scouting 

Now after reading this don't, for goodness' sake, drop 
your jaw and think that " this is not the sort of thing you 
want to learn in becoming a Cadet." There is no need to 
be downhearted because there is a serious side underlying 
all the jollity of Scout games. Quite the opposite. 
Scout games and practices are just as lively and exciting 
as any others, but they bring greater enjoyment in the 
end. Why? Because after all, when you have played 
your tennis or your golf, your hockey or even your hum- 
ble hopscotch, you begin to think it was very jolly but 
there was something lacking; what good did it do to any- 
one? It was to some extent time wasted. The w T orst 
agony of death at the moment when the sands are run- 
ning out and minutes are precious is the feeling that so 
many hours of life have been wasted on things that did 
not matter. 



PART IV 

CAPTAINS 

WHAT IS GIRL SCOUTING? 

The Girl Scouts are a Sisterhood. This means that 
members of it, from top to bottom, are working together 
as sisters — elder and younger sisters — from joy of the 
work. It is not a small army composed of officers, non- 
commissioned officers and privates in their respective 
grades directing or directed under imposed instruction, 
therefore the title of Captain and Lieutenant, which, al- 
though adopted in the Associaton, does not exactly de- 
scribe their role, so I shall in these notes refer to the 
seniors of all grades as I always think of them, viz. as 
the Captains — those who, like elder sisters, show the 
younger ones how " to turn to the right and keep straight 
on." The secret of successful execution of a scheme or 
of an order is that those to whom it is imparted should 
not merely have the statement but understand the mean- 
ing that underlies it. So I would propose here — with- 
out any idea of instructing my grandchildren how to 
masticate hen products — to help them to understand 
some of the methods of our movement so that those who 

229 



230 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

are interested may the more easily take up the work of 
guiding girls in this happy sisterhood. 

The Need 

That nation comes to the fore which has the most char- 
acter in its citizens. It deserves its supremacy only when 
that character is a good character. The character of a 
nation is not merely that of a few leaders but of the 
mapority of the people. Character is largely a matter 
of environment and training, and, later on, of experi- 
ence. Undoubtedly the mother's influence gives as a 
rule the first impetus to character. A mother cannot give 
that which she does not possess herself. Therefore it is 
all-important that the mothers of our country should 
possess character of a high quality in order to inculcate 
it in their children. , Hitherto the girls, some of the 
future mothers of our race, have had little character 
training as a direct part of their education. Character 
includes self-reliance, self-discipline, cheerfulness, con- 
sideration for others, sense of duty, patriotism, and 
other such moral qualities. But there are other things 
besides character needed to make a citizen, especially 

Skill in handicraft or other work. 
Sense of duty and service for others. 
Physical health and knowledge. 






It is on these four lines therefore that the training of 
the Girl Scouts is carried out, through games and prac- 
tices which appeal to the girls. 



THE NEED 231 

What Need Is There for It? 

1. War has shown how valuable women can be to the 
country and to themselves if only trained. 

2. Also peace has shown how far from happy life can 
be for some unless they are trained. From want of 
proper training preventable misery exists among a very 
large class. This is to be seen in the squalor in our 
great cities, in the poverty and unhappiness, the infant 
mortality, the preventable diseases and social diseases 
due to ignorance, carelessness, and generally to want of 
character. 

Is Not Education Good Enough? 

No. Though it is very good and vastly improved of 
late years and probably better than that of any other 
nation, yet it cannot under existing conditions entirely 
prepare the girl for what is possible for her in the 
present day, much less for what will be required of her in 
the near future. The remedy largely needed is forma- 
tion of character. Character is formed more by the 
environment outside the school walls than by the in- 
struction within them ; that environment may be for good 
and at the same time it may very easily be for bad. 

Practical efficiency in homecraft or in mothercraft is 
essential, but efficiency is desirable in many other spheres 
for professions, and in the many fields in which woman 
has proved that she can shine. 

The need of health for herself and knowledge of health 
for her children and for the service for others is essen- 



232 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

tial on a far more general scale than has been heretofore 
possible through school training alone. 

Sense of Duty to Others 

Though the war has brought a splendid exhibition of 
self-sacrifice and devotion on the part of women and a 
desire to be helpful and patriotic, the sense of service is 
one which requires further education in the rising gen- 
eration. The results of such training can only mean a 
stronger patriotism and a sound practical Christianity in- 
stead of a mere profession. 

WHAT REMEDY IS PROPOSED? 

The aim of the Girl Scout Movement is to assist parents 
and school teachers by supplying the desirable environ- 
ment and healthy activities outside the school. The first 
thing is to attract the girls by happy comradeship, neat 
uniform, games and competitions which will appeal to 
them. Then through these to develop in them the four 
points which I have mentioned as " essential." But 
please don't think that we want to make a school of 
it. My harping on the " training " may lead you to 
think so. We do not want to trespass on the school 
teacher's ground nor to adopt school curricula or exam- 
ination systems. Quite the contrary. The weak point 
of modern education is that though it recognises the 
value of more up-to-date subjects it has not yet broken 
away from old methods in presenting them to the child. 
Till it does so it will remain Instruction instead of Educa- 



NATIONAL COUNCIL 233 

tion. Our object in the Scouts is to supply healthy play 
and recreation : but play when organised need not be waste 
of time. In these days we cannot afford, nor is it fair 
on them, to let children waste time and then to launch 
them " half-baked " into the sea of life-troubles. The 
Scout training offers them ideals and activities which 
supplement, without tiring them, the teaching of the 
school. 

Results and experience of five years show r s that the 
scheme is successful in attracting girls of every class in 
every part of the world. It can be applied equally well 
in town or country and it helps rather than interferes with 
every form of religion. Where properly handled it gives 
remarkable and satisfactory results in the directions 
looked for. 

WHAT IS THE ORGANISATION? 

A.— NATIONAL COUNCIL 

The National Council is the governing body of the 
Girl Scout organization. It is composed of delegates 
from Local Councils and of other elected members. It 
holds one meeting a year to elect officers and the mem- 
bers of the Executive Board, and to decide matters that 
concern the policy and welfare of the entire organization. 

Duties 

The duties of the National Council are to 

Charter Local Councils, to commission officers, 
and register Scouts. 



234 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

A 



NATIONAL 



COUNCIL 



FEDERATION 

OR STATE 

ORGANIZATION 



D 



LOCAL COUNCILS 



D 



TROOPS 



PATROLS 



GIRL SCOUTS 

A — National Council — Officers, Executive Board, Headquarters, 

Staff. 
B — Federation or State Organization. Commissioner. 
C — Local Council Officers, Local Director or Secretary. 
D — Troops — Captains and Lieutenants. 
E — Patrols — Patrol Leaders and Corporals. 
F — Girl Scouts — Brownies — Citizens Scouts. 



NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS 235 

Manufacture and copyright the Badges. 
Select uniforms and other equipment. 
Determine the general policies and lay down the 
lines of Girl Scout training. 

These functions are carried out by an Executive Board 
between the annual meetings of the National Council. 
The National Headquarters and a staff of workers are 
employed to execute the orders of the National Council. 

Officers 

The President. 

Two Vice-Presidents. 

The Treasurer. 

The Chairman of the Executive Board. 

Executive Board 

The Executive Board works through Committees, 
which act as advisers to the board in matters concerning 
Field, Standards, Uniforms, Business, Education, Edi- 
torial, Publicity, etc. Final action is in the hands of the 
Executive Board, which is responsible to the National 
Council. 

National Headquarters 

National Headquarters * c divided into depa tm ~ t? 
the more efficient handling of the work. The head of 
the office staff is the National Director. 

The Director is apoointed by the Executive Board, and 
serves as the Secretary of the National Council, the 
Executive Board and the various committees thereof. 



236 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Under the authority of the Executive Board she acts as 
the administrating officer of the Girl Scouts and has gen- 
eral direction of the administrative work. 

Uniform. Khaki Norfolk suit. 

Scout hat, gold and back hat cords (see Committee on 
Uniforms, Jan. 12, 1918). 

Insignia. Four bands of half-inch black braid all 
around left cuff (see Committee on Standards, May 7, 

1918). 

National Field Captains are employed by the organiza- 
tion and assigned to work in the field. 

Uniform. Khaki Norfolk suit. 

Scout hat, gold and black hat cord (see Com. on Uni- 
forms, Jan. 12, 1918). 

Insignia. Three bands of half-inch black braid all 
around left cuff (see Com. on Standards, May 7, 1918). 

COMMUNICATIONS 

Every Girl Scout, every officer and councilor, every 
troop and council has the right of direct communication 
with National Headquarters and in cases of dispute an 
appeal may be made to the Executive Board. It is, 
however, desirable that in all ordinary matters the 
lines of communication to Headquarters should be as 
follows : — 

Form a troop, through the Captain, or through the 
troop secretary giving name and number of troop, and 
name of captain. 

Where a Local Council is established, it is the normal 



ORGANIZATIONS 237 

medium of communication between the captains (troop) 
under its jurisdiction and National Headquarters. 

Where a Federation or State Organization is established 
it may serve as the medium of communication between 
the Local Councils and National Headquarters in mat- 
ters that affect the general policy of all the Local Coun- 
cils included in it. 

Local Councils may also communicate direct with Na- 
tional Headquarters in matters that concern their own 
locality. 

B.— FEDERATION OR STATE 
ORGANIZATIONS 

A number of Local Councils may join together to form 
a Federation for mutual support. Local Councils be- 
longing to it may delegate their general policy to the 
Federation but retain their power to control their Coun- 
cils in local matters. 

The officers of the Federation may be elected as re- 
quired. 

Field Captains may be employed for organizing their 
work. 

The presiding officer is the Commissioner. 

Membership in such a Federation is voluntary. 

Or instead of a Federation of Councils a State Or- 
ganization may be formed. The area under control will 
coincide with the State of the United States. 



238 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

C— LOCAL COUNCILS 

In any community where there are Girl Scouts a Local 
Council may be organized. This is a body of representa- 
tive citizens of the community (number varies according 
to size of the community) who are organized for the 
purpose of promoting the welfare of the Girl Scouts of 
that district. They determine the policies and direct the 
local work, following the rules and regulations laid down 
in the official Handbook and Manual subject to the gen- 
eral policies determined by the National Council or its 
Executive Board. Each Chartered Local Council may 
send one delegate to the National Council and one addi- 
tional delegate for every 200 registered Scouts under its 
jurisdiction. The National Executive Board is the court 
of last resort and every member of the Girl Scout Organ- 
ization has the right of appeal to that court. The Local 
Council's officers recommend Captains and Lieutenants 
for commissions, and have the power to request their 
resignation when desirable, or they may appeal to Na- 
tional Headquarters to dismiss an undesirable captain. 
A Local Council may ask Headquarters for the assistance 
of a Field Captain. 

Insignia for Local Councilors. Gray and black shoul- 
der cord and fringe (see minutes Executive Board, April 
11, 1918). 

Gray and black hat cord. 

The shoulder cords may be worn with any costume — 
the hat cords are generally worn only with the uniform 
hat. 



OFFICERS 239 

The Commissioner 

Is the presiding officer of the Local Council. She is 
chairman of the Local Executive Board, she is elected by 
the Local Council and receives a commission from the 
National Headquarters. 

Duties. Her duties are to secure the harmonious cor- 
poration of the captains in her district, to inspect Scout 
patrols and troops and advise how to conduct them 
according to the principles found in the Handbook, to 
be the authority for recommending the issue or denial 
of captains' certificates and foster the movement gen- 
erally. 

Uniform. Khaki Norfolk suit. Scout hat with gray 
cord with gray acorns. 

Insignia. Gray shoulder cord and fringe (may be 
worn with any costume if Commissioner prefers not to 
have a uniform) (see minutes Executive Board, April 
11, 1918). 

Officers 

Of Local Councils will be elected according to the needs 
of the community. 

Deputy Commissioner 

Stands in the relation of vice-president to the com- 
missioner. 

Uniform. Khaki Norfolk Suit. Scout hat with gray 
cord with black acorns. 

Insignia. Gray shoulder cord with black and gray 
fringe and black center, may be worn with any costume 



240 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

if the Deputy Commissioner prefers not to have a uni- 
form (see minutes Executive Board, April n, 1918). 

District Commissioner 

In large communities it is possible to divide the terri- 
tory into districts each with a District Commissioner who 
is responsible for the work in that district to the Com- 
missioner. 

Uniforms. Khaki Norfolk Suit. Scout hat with gray 
cord with gray acorns. 

Insignia. Black shoulder cord with black and gray 
fringe with gray center. May be worn with any costume 
if the District Commissioner prefers not to have a uni- 
form. 

The Local Director 

Is the title given to the executive officer of the local 
Council. (This officer was formerly called Secretary.) 

Duties. She has charge of Headquarters and other 
property of the local organization, has general supervision 
of the Captains and instructs new captains in their duties, 
organizes new troops, receives and forwards to Head- 
quarters all applications for captains' certificates, keeps 
all records of the council and of the troops and such in- 
formation concerning them as may be necessary for the 
work. She is secretary of the Committees, but her pres- 
ence at each meeting is decided by the Local Council ; it 
is her duty to attend public meetings connected with the 
organization and she represents Girl Scouts at the meet- 
ings of other organizations unless otherwise directed by 
the Council. 



THE CAPTAIN 241 

Uniform. Khaki Norfolk suit. Scout hat with gold 
and black hat cord (see Com. on Uniforms, Jan. 12, 

1918). 

Insignia. Four bands one-fourth-inch black braid, all 
around left cuff (Com. on Standards, May 7, 1918). 

Local Field Captains 

May be employed by Local Councils for organizing 
their work. 

Uniform. Khaki Norfolk suit. Scout hat, gold and 
black hat cord (Com. on Uniforms, Jan. 12, 19 18). 

Troops 

Insignia. Three bands of one-fourth-inch black braid 
all around left cuff (Com. on Standards, May 7, 1918). 

Girl Scouts are organized in troops under the direct 
charge of a Captain who may or may not have one or 
more Lieutenants to assist her. 

A troop may be of any size, although it is not advisable 
for a Captain to have a troop of more than thirty girls 
unless she is assisted by a capable Lieutenant. 

The Captain 

Must not be less than twenty-one years old, and must 
have a personal character and standing, a good moral 
influence over girls, and sufficient steadfastness of pur- 
pose to carry out the work with energy and perseverance. 
She should have a general knowledge of the Handbook, 
and should appreciate the underlying aim and principles 
of Girl Scout training. She must apply to National 



242 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Headquarters for her commission. Application should 
be made on blanks supplied from National Headquarters 
and must be endorsed by three prominent citizens of 
the community. Where a Local Council is established 
the application must be sent through the Local Coun- 
cil. The Captain has the power to enroll Scouts, and 
to release a Scout from her promise, to suspend her for 
a certain period, or withdrew her badges and discharge 
her. A Scout who considers herself unjustly treated 
may appeal to the Local Council or even to National 
Council. The Captain directs the Scout training of the 
girls in her troop, and may examine them for the Tender- 
foot and Second Class tests. Where no court of honor 
exists she may secure examiners for them for the special 
subjects of proficiency badges or this may be done by 
the Local Council. 

Uniform. Khaki Norfolk suit. Scout hat, gold and 
black hat cord (Com. on Uniforms, Jan. 12, 1918). 

Insignia. Gold and black shoulder cord (Com. on 
Uniforms, Jan. 12, 1918), two bands one-fourth-inch 
black braid all around left cuff (Com. on Standards, 
May 7, 1918). 

Captain's pin. 

Lieutenant 

Should not be less than 18 years of age. Her qualifica- 
tions are the same as those for Captain and she receives 
her commission in the same way. She is chosen by the 
Captain, performs the duties of the Captain during her 



PATROLS 243 

absence and such other duties as the Captain may assign 
to her. 

Uniform. Khaki Norfolk suit. Scout hat, gold and 
black hat cord (Com. on Uniforms, Jan. 12, 1918). 

Insignia. One braid one- fourth-inch black braid all 
around left cuff (Com. on Uniforms, May 7, 1918). 

Lieutenant's pin. 

Captains and Lieutenants on making their application 
to enter the organization pay a small fee which covers the 
entire period of membership. Commissions are issued 
for one year and must be renewed at the end of the 
period. 

E.— PATROLS 

Troops are divided into Patrols of about eight girls 
each, for convenience in work and play. One of the 
eight girls is chosen Patrol Leader and another the Cor- 
poral. 

The Patrol Leader must be what her name implies, a 
leader, for she stands next to the Captain and Lieutenant 
and takes either's place in their absence. She is respon- 
sible for her patrol. She may be elected by the girls 
themselves or appointed by the captain, with the con- 
sent of the girls. She holds office for six months or a 
year, and is eligible for reelection. Her duties include 
calling the roll, keeping records of the attendance and 
dues of her patrol, and leaving the meeting place in 
order. Any of these duties may be delegated to the 
Corporal, or to some other member of the patrol, par- 



244 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

ticularly as the Patrol Leader becomes capable of assum- 
ing heavier responsibilities, to relieve her of the routine 
duties. 

Uniform. Regular Scout uniform. 

Insignia. Chevron, two stripes, on left sleeve above 
elbow. 

The Patrol Leader carries the patrol pennon. 

The Corporal may be elected by the patrol, appointed 
by the captain or by the Patrol Leader. She takes the 
latter's place when she is absent, and performs such other 
duties as may be assigned to her by the Patrol Leader or 
by the Captain. 

Uniform. Regular Scout uniform. 

Insignia. Chevron, one bar; on left sleeve above el- 
bow. 

Want of space in the present book prevents me from 
going into the details of the dress, administration, and 
discipline of the Movement, but these can all be found in 
the Book of Rules, which can be obtained from Head- 
quarters price 6d. 

Discipline of the Movement 

All these rules may appear rather alarming to an out- 
sider, but please remember that they are " rules " as 
for cricket and not " regulations " as for police pur- 
poses. They are merely intended as indications for 
" playing the game," and that is the only form of dis- 
cipline that we ask for in the sisterhood. Their object 
is to ensure that their policy is adhered to under which 
our Charter of Incorporation was granted, and also 



METHOD 245 

to guarantee to parents that reliable officers are in charge 
of their girls to ensure fairness of standard in awards, 
and to secure efficient training by having efficient Scouters. 

Method 

Method. — Our method of training is to educate from 
within rather than to instruct from without ; to offer 
games and activities which, while being attractive to the 
girl, will seriously educate her morally, mentally, and 
physically. 

Our aim is to promote " not so much the acquisition of 
knowledge as the desire and capacity for acquiring knowl- 
edge." 

In other words, the Captain's job is to enthuse the 
girl in the right direction. By acting on this principle 
she will save herself considerable trouble in reaching her 
goal and in producing smart, keen and capable girls. 

It is the means by which the modern schoolmistress 
scores over her more old-fashioned sister, since she de- 
velops a girl to be efficient rather than scholarly, to have 
character rather than erudition — and that is what counts 
towards success in life nowadays. 

By " efficiency " I don't mean mere money-making 
skill, but a general intelligence and capability to live a 
free, prosperous and happy life. 

To preach " don't " is to incite the doing of wrong. 
Rather infuse the right spirit; as powder is to the shot, 
so is spirit to action. 

Moral Instruction. — Direct moral instruction — like 
drill — produces a pleasing veneer, but unless there is 



246 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

properly seasoned character below this will not stand 
wear. 

Wise old Plato long ago gave us the right lead in edu- 
cation, and one which only now is beginning to be fol- 
lowed, when he said that there was innate good in every 
child, and the aim of education should be to develop these 
natural " instincts of virtue " through suitable practices. 

Active versus passive education. — No mention of read- 
ing, writing, and 'rithmetic as essentials, but of enlarging 
the natural instincts, i.e., character by practices not merely 
by precepts. 

The average girl (if there is such a thing as an average 
girl) does not want to sit down and passively receive 
theoretical instruction. She wants to be up and actually 
doing things in practice, and this is a good lever to 
work upon if only the teacher will recognise it as the 
instrument ready to her hand. 

Your first step then is to study the girl herself; to 
recognise her likes and dislikes, her good qualities and 
her bad, and to direct her training on these. 

How to Apply the Training 

The scheme given in this book is little more than a 
suggestive outline. It is left to the ingenuity of the 
Captain to devise generally on these lines further activi- 
ties such as will best suit her local conditions. 

Games and practices selected or planned for the pur- 
pose can be made to teach, through the youthful enthusi- 
asm of the girls, most of the moral attributes required, 



PSYCHOLOGY 247 

such as self-restraint, good temper, obedience to leaders 
and to rules, unselfishness, pluck, moral endurance, fair- 
ness, esprit de corps, etc., as well as physical hygiene. 
Further, they teach soberness in success, good humour in 
defeat, and repression of show-off and hysterics. 

For example, if a girl faints on parade it should be a 
point of honour almost to take no notice of her beyond 
allowing her Corporal and one other Scout to look after 
her. The business of the moment should go on as if 
nothing untoward were happening. 

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE SCOUTER 

There are two fundamental points to be considered in 
dealing with Scouts. The first is that the only woman 
who can hope for real success as a trainer of Scouts is 
the one who can be their elder sister. The " Command- 
ing Officer " is no good and the " Schoolmistress " is 
doomed to failure (though in neither case probably would 
the woman recognise it herself nor admit it). This fact 
is being proved daily by the successful results already 
gained by our Captain. By the term " elder sister " I 
mean one who while commanding their respect can place 
herself on terms of comradeship with her girls, entering 
into their games and laughter, herself thereby winning 
their confidence and putting herself into that position 
which is essential for teaching, namely, where by her 
own example she leads them in the right direction instead 
of merely pointing the way. 



248 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

The Psychology of the Girl 

The second item to recognise, although as a point it is 
of first importance, is that the girl of eight to ten is psy- 
chologically quite different from the girl of ten to fifteen. 
I don't mean that the change comes about with a bang 
in the tenth year; but the younger girl is growing rela- 
tively in mind and body more rapidly than the elder one, 
and the transition gradually comes about approximately 
at those ages in the average girl. The age at which 
crime begins among the poorer class of children points to 
the age at which character begins to form itself, and it 
appears much earlier in life than is usually supposed ; that 
is to say, the crime returns show a good deal of juvenile 
depravity at the early age of ten and eleven, and at 
twelve it has mounted to its highest point in the young 
generation up to twenty. Between the ages of eight and 
nine, therefore, seem to be the right time to get hold of 
the girl when the seeds of character may begin to sprout 
into pliant tendrils ready to trail off in the wrong direc- 
tion, but easily taken in hand at that time and trained 
aright. 

Under eleven the following are common attributes in 
the average child : make-believe, appreciation of fairy 
tales, eagerness for new experiences, collection of stamps 
and other curios, mental restlessness, physical restlessness, 
thoughtlessness, untruthfulness, etc. Over eleven the 
following attributes may be generally counted on : con- 
structiveness, hero-worship, liking for team games, dawn- 
ing conscience, sense of humour, of pathos and of sym- 
pathy. 



PATROL SYSTEM FOR SCOUTS 249 

Character 

In any case sense of honour, truth, self-control, fair- 
ness, discipline, responsibility and good humour have been 
too little inculcated among girls in the past, and this 
important omission we endeavour to make good in the 
practices and activities of the Scout work adapted to 
the psychology changes as they come. 

The Patrol System for Scouts 

I remember when we first started the Boy Scout and 
Girl Scout Movements in England, I received some val- 
uable advice from a prominent business man with regard 
to organising the Head-quarters Office. 

He told me that women were far the best clerks to 
employ in preference to men, but he said the pity of it 
was that they only rose to a certain height in their work 
and they could not be made managers of departments be- 
cause they could not take responsibility. 

War conditions have since shown that if he meant this 
as a rule he was wrong. Women have risen splendidly 
to the occasion, and in very many cases have shown 
themselves perfectly qualified to take higher duties upon 
themselves. 

At the same time there is no doubt that if more of them 
were prepared for it early in life, many more of them 
would be so employed in ordinary times of peace. 

In the Girl Scout Movement, as in the Boy Scouts, we 
also have the small unit — the Patrol — commanded by 
its own girl Leader. 

This in the first place conduces to the Patrol Spirit 



250 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

among its members, where each of them considers the 
honour of her unit to be always at stake, and that it is 
up to her among its other members constantly to uphold 
it reputation. 

This brings the development of self-discipline, sense of 
duty and selflessness down to the individual. Emula- 
tion between Patrols in a Troop make for a higher 
standard of efficiency and collective discipline all round; 
and this is a great help to the Captain. 

But also there is the Patrol Leader. She is the re- 
sponsible officer for leading her Patrol to victory and 
for keeping each member of the unit up to the mark 
so that the Patrol as a whole does not fall behind any 
other. 

To do this effectively she soon discovers, if it is not 
otherwise pointed out to her, that she has to be a Leader 
not only in name but in fact and in act. 

She has to be an all-round efficient, and she has to use 
her brain and thought, her initiative and power of com- 
mand to hold and lead those under her. 

With a little practice this role becomes a habit. Having 
learnt how to obey and how to restrain herself she de- 
velops the power of command and her own sense of re- 
sponsibility, thereby unconsciously preparing herself to 
take higher positions of trust in real life later on. 

But above all this means for each individual the de- 
velopment of character. And that is our aim. 

The Court of Honour formed by Patrol Leaders and 
their Assistants (" Corporals ") is also of untold value 
in founding and developing the strength of the Scout 



HOW THE SCOUT TRAINING APPEALS 251 

spirit and the sense of responsibility to a further degree 
among the girls. 

For these reasons the Patrol System is the most im- 
portant element in the Girl Scout Training, and it is, as 
far as I know, the only step so far made available towards 
educating girls practically in two points which have long 
been missing in their unbringing — namely, in the sense 
and practice of Self-discipline and Responsibility. 

How the Scout Training Appeals 

From the parents* point of view Scout work gives char- 
acter to the girls, also skill at handicrafts ; thirdly, service 
and helpfulness to others; fourthly, physical health and 
development. 

From the teacher's point of view it provides a healthy 
environment outside the school, and activities which tend 
to develop in practice many of these attributes inculcated 
theoretically in the girls' lessons. 

From the girls' point of view Scouting puts them into 
fraternity gangs among jolly comrades and it gives them 
a smart dress and equipment, it appeals to their imagina- 
tion in results, and it engages them in an active open- 
air and healthy life. 

Our aim is to give equal chances to all and to give the 
most help to the least fortunate. 

The training applies equally well to girls of all classes 
and can be carried out in towns just as well as in the 
country. 



252 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

Camps 

Camping, which a few years ago was looked upon as 
impossible for girls, has now become an institution in 
very many centres — or one that has brought the very 
best results. It is what the girls look forward to with 
intense joy, and it gives the Captains their greatest op- 
portunity. 

Large camps are, for training purposes, a mistake : 
one troop of three or four patrols is as much as a 
Captain and Lieutenant can manage with due regard to 
the health and training of the girls. They may be car- 
ried out in tents or in barns and farm buildings, empty 
houses, etc. 

Religion 

Two authorities from very different points of view 
have gone so far as to describe Scouting and Scout work 
as " a new religion and a practical one." One of these 
was a clergyman and a schoolmaster, and the other a 
statesman of strong human sympathies. 

We have not ourselves pretended to claim any such 
standing for the teaching, but we do find from experi- 
ence that where rightly handled it can put the right spirit 
and the right grounding into children for developing re- 
ligion through their inner consciousness instead of having 
theology imposed upon them through surface instruc- 
tion of morality taught them through fear of punishment. 

Nature Study and Good Turns 

To interest the child is our method of training in the 
Scout movement, whatever may be the subject taken up. 



NATURE STUDY AND GOOD TURNS 253 

It can equally be used in the development of the elements 
of religion without in any way trenching on the teaching 
of any particular denomination — indeed it is helpful to 
all. 

We use, therefore, the study of Nature as a first step 
to the realisation of the Creator. The dissection of a 
plant or bird, the observation of the habits of an animal or 
an insect, or the study of the stars and planets all com- 
mand the eager interest of the girl, and if properly ap- 
plied, reveal to her with absorbing force the miracle 
laws of Nature; it gives her a sense of the beautiful; it 
gives her an uplifting instinct of reverence for the power 
of God. 

Then, on the moral side, to be good is of little interest 
to the child ; to do good is another matter. She has an 
innate predisposition to the active practice rather than 
to the passive reception, and the Scout encouragement 
to do the daily good turn meets her inclination and 
eventually leads her — bit by bit — to the practice of 
kindness and of self-sacrifice for others as her natural 
habit of mind and action. In other words, the germ of 
the Divine Love that is within her is developed along 
lines which appeal to her, till it blossoms out as an in- 
tegral part of her life and character, as her soul. In 
this way the soul is educated, that is, self-expanded from 
within : it cannot be developed artificially by the applica- 
tion of book instruction and rules from without. 

Nature study should not be the mere formal class 
teaching of the school, but should be the interested pur- 
suit of each individual girl in that branch of it which 



254 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

particularly appeals to her, through practical handling 
and dealing with it. 

Through such Nature investigation, and the conse- 
quent appreciation of God the Creator, the Captain can 
lead the girl on to a right understanding of biology and 
of her own position in the order of nature ; to realise how 
she can be associated with the Creator in His work and 
how she can have her part in the romance of reproduc- 
tion and the carrying on of the race; also that good 
motherhood is a wonderful gift of God, at once a sacred 
and a patriotic privilege and duty. 

Many a girl has been ruined by ignorance on the sub- 
ject, and by the wrong or debased views picked up hap- 
hazard. Parents to a great extent evade their duties 
in this direction, and yet they are apt to resent other 
people trying to remedy their neglect. So it is often de- 
sirable for a Captain to consult the mother before talking 
to a girl, but the girl should not be left to slide in ignor- 
ance. Then it is not a thing to deal with before a number 
of girls, but with the individual according to her psy- 
chology. 

One of the objects in a Captain being " an elder sister 
rather than an officer " to her girls is precisely that she 
can talk to them intimately and naturally on this very 
vital topic. 

Rallies 

Rallies are useful for bringing together a number of 
Troops to see each other and be seen by others whom 
it is desired to interest in the Movement. For either or 



INSPECTION OF TROOPS 255 

both purposes it is a good thing to have displays of Scout 
activities by the different patrols and companies, and 
also to have competitions between them in various Scout 
practices. 

A too common fault about Rallies is that the stage- 
managing is faulty — - the way in which the thing is pre- 
sented is as important as the thing presented, so far as 
the outside impression is concerned. The other fault 
is that generally the displays are chosen too much with a 
view to training the girls and too little with a view to 
interesting the onlookers. This is a bad fault if you are 
trying to spread the Movement and to get people keenly 
interested in it. The two points can perfectly well be 
combined. Let the programme err on the short side, and 
let it be full of variety, novelty, incident, and interest. 
Long signalling tests and bandaging exhibitions are in- 
tensely boring to the onlookers who don't understand 
them. Whereas a realistic accident, a pretty dance, good 
acting, and graceful gymnastics, and exhibitions of work 
done, or girls at work, are pleasing and attractive. 

Let it go with a snap — short, sharp and sweet. 

Often the Rally includes inspection by a Commissioner 
or other officers. 

Inspection of Troops by Commissioners 

There was in the early days of the Movement a tend- 
ency to look upon the inspection of a Troop rather 
in the light of a military parade or a social function, 
when in point of fact it should be neither. 

A cursory review by a visiting officer is bound to in- 



256 SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 

duce training for outward effect and appearance, an en- 
tire perversion of our aims and methods. 

I have seen it suggested, even quite recently, that the 
girls in the Troop should be ranged for inspection in 
order of size so that they may please the eye of the in- 
spector ! 

The up-to-date inspecting officer is not likely to be 
taken in by eye-wash. Her aim is to ascertain to what 
extent results have been attained by the Captain among 
the girls in each Patrol in her Troop in the four main 
branches of our training. 

Character and Intelligence. 

Skill and Handicraft. 

Service for Others. 

Physical Health and Health Knowledge. 

She will generally take each Patrol separately, or if 
there is not time for this, one Patrol selected at random 
from each Troop. 

She will then, by questioning the Patrol Leader and 
some of the Scouts, judge for herself to what extent 
the leader is capable of responsibility and leadership, and 
to what extent the girls are efficient, keen, and smart. 

She can, by a few simple tests, soon see whether they 
have really earned their badges, and she can offer them 
simple personal advice which will sink in and be valued. 

The Scout Spirit and Scout proficiency are to her the 
important points to look for. 

Accurate drill, neat bandaging, quick and legible sig- 
nalling, smart uniform, are excellent steps, but they are 



GIVE US THE YOUNG! 257 

only steps among others towards the attainment of 
womanly efficiency on the part of the individual girl. 

That is the aim of our training. 

Happy, smiling face, ready resourcefulness and quick 
intelligence in carrying out any job that may be given is 
the evidence of keen esprit de corps in the Patrol, are 
by far the best indications to the inspecting officer as to 
whether or not true Scout training is practised by the 
Captain in her Troop. 

Give Us the Young! 

As Benjamin Kidd has written, let our cry be : 

" Oh ! you wise men who would reconstruct the world ! 
Give us the young. Give us the young. Do what you 
will with the world, only give us the young. It is the 
dreams which we teach them : it is the Utopias which we 
conceive for them : it is the thoughts which we think for 
them, which will rebuild the world. Give us the young 
before the evil has held them and we will create a new 
Heaven and a new Earth." 



MOV 6 1918 



